Sunday, March 18, 2012

What Filling Looks Like


“… my cup overflows.” –Psalm 23:5b


“I know it might not be part of your church background to do this, but we have some prayer stations set up at the end of the hallway,” the pastor directed. “Feel free to walk through them before you leave.”

“Oh, thank you. Maybe…” I answered. Inside, I thought to myself, Um, no. That’s kind of odd. I don’t think I’ll do that.

*******

Remember this?

After I emptied my shelf, I didn’t want to fill it with just anything. I thought about what books have meant the most to me, the ones that wrote truth on my heart and helped me most to find myself, the self that God made me to be.

Here’s what sits there so far:

 The notebook on the far right is Finding Your Voice by Jen Lee

This is what filling looks like.

I use the word “filling” rather than “filled” because I believe it’s a process. Our lives are overrun with things that don’t belong: pride, shame, worry, judgment, and on and on. Jesus doesn’t call us to release those things so that we remain empty. He calls us to let go of them so that He can fill us with eternal pleasures: joy, gratitude, courage, love, and on and on.

I’ve noticed other areas of my life where filling is happening.

Last December, I lost my job. I figured I needed a new dream to go with my new season. Turns out, at my core, I’m still a writer (and probably always will be). Here’s the page I filled, in ten minutes one day, with an outline for an e-book project:


This is what filling looks like.

Last summer we moved. One dwelling place empty, another one we’re making into a new home. When I was cooking in the kitchen the other day, I turned around and saw this:


This is what filling looks like.

********

Last Friday I walked into that same church with the prayer stations. I entered through a different set of doors than I did eight years ago. When I saw the words “Prayer Labyrinth” in the Ministry Summit itinerary, I smiled.

I smiled because the girl who exited the east side without daring to take a prayer walk with Jesus is the same woman who entered the doors on the west side this weekend and now takes great delight in setting up prayer stations for others.

I smiled because God has filled me to overflowing with His goodness and grace, and I can’t help but spill over in praise and writing and prayer and art journaling and on and on.

I smiled because when I entered the Prayer Labyrinth yesterday, this was the first thing I saw:


“You always show me the path that leads to life. You will fill me with joy when I am with you. You give me endless pleasures at your right hand.” –Psalm 16:11

2 comments:

Christin said...

Oh, Lovely! I love this reflection on "filling."

Becca said...

Thanks for stopping by and reading it, Christin.