Fighting Words: 7 Days of Speaking Truth Into the Darkness by Ellie HolcombSample

DAY 7: Filled with His Love

I have always adored Ephesians 3:17-19. I’ve prayed this prayer over so many people in my life, including myself. I’ve seen God answer this prayer too, time and time again, helping me and others understand just how deep His love runs for us. Deeper than our biggest fears, our worst failures, and our most painful wounds. Further above the highest level of love we’ve ever felt for someone else. Wider than the lengths we’d go for our own flesh and blood.

Like so many of my “fighting words” verses, it was such a joy when I wrote this verse into a song called “Wide, High, Long, Deep” for one of my children’s EPs. Why? It’s the truth that changes me the most, so in a sense, this truth is the kind of “song” that I actually want to get stuck in my head and my kids’ heads, one that sings God’s promise of abundant love over us! Often, I feel like I’m unworthy and unable to make the mark. Unlovable and unlovely. And living in that state of mind forces me to go out into the world, looking for something to fill me up with value and worth and “okayness.” Wherever I go for that stuff, I find that it leaks out of my heart faster than I can put it in! But when I go back to the foundational truth of how high and wide and long and deep the love of God is for me—all without me trying to make myself lovely before Him—I approach life from a place of fullness rather than emptiness. Of “loved” instead of “unloved,” and “valued” instead of “worthless.” It fills me up to the measure, and instead of looking to the world to fill me up or validate me, I am able to walk into the world with something to give away.

Let’s pray today that we would remain “rooted and established” in God’s love. Let’s think on how high and wide and deep this love really goes. May love fill in all the gaps, and as we meditate on and ground ourselves in how much He loves us, may it transform our broken hearts into cups that run over with love.

• In what areas of life do you feel unlovable or unlovely?
• In what ways do you sometimes go out into the world in search of its love and validation?
• Have you ever had a season where God’s love was taking up so much space in your heart and mind that you felt “filled to the measure”? What was that like?
• How can you seek to be filled up by God’s love today?

We hope this plan encouraged you. Learn more at fightwordsdevo.com.