For God Loves a Cheerful GiverSample

Filling Ourselves

We give a lot. And it is good to give a lot. But if we are not also receiving as much as we are giving, we will have nothing left to give. So how do we stay filled?

A few weeks ago, I was struggling with my ministry assignment. I felt restless and stuck, and most of my free time was spent trying to escape or free myself from these feelings (although I didn’t really know that’s what I was doing). One morning, during an extended time with the Lord, I realized that my peace was gone, and that realization caught me off guard because I’m not one to usually feel unsettled or agitated. But here I was, feeling both of those without any clear reason why.

As soon as that recognition was there, the Lord brought a very familiar passage of scripture to mind, Psalm 23. It is the epitome of peace (for me, at least), and he was telling me that he would give me peace if I sat still. So I sat, and almost instantly, the bustle and noise inside of me quieted, and the peace I had about ministry came back.

The following week, the Lord gave me another reminder of the importance of staying connected to him. I was rereading a Psalm that has represented this year for me, and in a note on one of the verses, I saw a cross-reference to John 15. What does John 15 talk about? Abiding in Jesus and staying connected to him. Now, the Lord doesn’t always speak that clearly to me. In fact, I was in awe after both of those moments because I hadn’t had that clear of a lesson or revelation from the Lord in a very long time.

He can definitely speak to us in clear and obvious ways, but in my experience, it’s rare, and most of his communication comes in quiet nudges. The important thing is to stay connected to him because he is the only one who can fill us up and give us the strength to persevere.

What encouragements can you take from these verses to stay connected to the Lord?

What are some ways you can abide in the Lord throughout your week and make sure you are letting Him fill you up and give you rest?