Full and Less

 Full and Less

 

During my time in the hospital the Lord showed me that I am lacking in Joy. As I meditated on this, I began to see some things. My definition of full and less weren’t God’s definitions. 

To truly be full is not just to be at capacity but to be at capacity while it is flowing out at capacity. Anything short of that is less. Using these definitions if I am full of something it should be easy for people to use that as an identification of me.

Question, how do we identify or label a person as joyful? Is it because we see a trickle of joy coming out every now and then or is it because we see joy flowing out of them in capacity?

People identify us by what they see flowing out of us at capacity, good or bad. 

This led me to some self-reflection and to this conclusion. I need to be more and more abiding in Jesus and Jesus in me. Each part of the fruit of the Spirit should be something people identify me by because I am full of the Spirit because I am abiding in Jesus. There should be no joyless in my life or any other less of anything God has for me. NOT because of my efforts or behavior modifications (John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.) BUT because of Him abiding in me and I in Him and that producing the fruit of that relationship of abiding. (John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.) If I was to spend my time trying to make myself joyful, I would be as successful as a branch cut off an apple tree trying to produce apples. (John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.)

The only thing in the process that I can accomplish is limiting what God desires to be fully flowing through me. My lacking in joy, joylessness (having less joy than God intended for me), is simply me not receiving all that God has for me. Unlike my previous reaction to something like this I am not going to worry or fret. God’s intention was not to give me a harsh rebuke or to condemn me but rather a revelation of His more that He has for me. That whatever has been hindering can go and that I can receive ALL that He has for me by just abiding in Him, His Word and His Love. 

Basically, I don’t have to work on behavior modification because as I abide in Him (which means I am abiding in Him Word and Love because these can’t be separated from Him) He’s going to be producing His fruit through me. I am going to be filled to capacity and pouring out in capacity because He is the source not me. 

For those struggling with something, anger, hate, words coming out of your mouth that shouldn’t, control, anything sinful, anything negative, STOP FOCUSING ON IT. Instead focus your attention on abiding in Him. You can’t stop yourself from doing any of it long-term NOR can you do any of the good you know you should do, successfully, in your power. (Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.) 

You know what you can do? Die to abide. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.