Set Free 10 - Stuck in the Mundane

When you first started a relationship with God, it was probably all you thought about, off and on throughout the day. Or, if you’ve been raised in a Christian environment, maybe it wasn’t all that new? I know we all have ups and downs, highs and lows; times of spiritual power and understanding, and times where we feel so very very human.

That’s okay.

It has taken me a long time to become okay with this. It’s just not okay to be okay with staying in a low spot.

Are you following me? It’s okay to have a spiritual low, or a rough patch, it’s just not okay to be content to stay put there. Crave the more. Crave the uphill.

Sometimes these lows can come from other events in our lives, such as illness, fatigue, a death, or some other thing that has got you physically or emotionally drained.

The good news? That being drained, that extreme low makes room for Jesus. So if you’re in a slump, exalt in the fact that you’ve got more more room for Jesus to fill you up.

More of Him. More grace.

And who doesn’t want that?

We have a few passages to look at, but the first I’d like you to read is 2 Kings 4:1-7

While many of us don’t have to go and borrow emptiness from our friends, this beautiful story shows just how ready and willing God is to just fill us up! The more emptiness the better. And did you notice the same thing I did? Look again at verse 7. There was some left over. God didn’t just look at her current need, and just exactly meet that, He reached down and in not so many words said, “Daughter, let Me be your source. Let Me be your Provider.” And so He will do with each of us. Physically, emotionally, and, yes, Spiritually.

A verse you can probably tell by now is one of my favorites, one I  cling to, especially during these dry spells, is Psalm 103:14.

Psalm 103:14 “for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” NIV

And from that dust, that dirt, we are made into clay vessels. Vessels to hold more of Him.

2 Corinthians 4:7 “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” NLT

He knows we are fragile. He knows, too, that this fragility brings Him more glory.

Our next passage is Psalm 62. Please take the time to read it now.

Look at verse 3.

Q: How does the enemy view us? (You might need to look at NLT or NIV for this one.)

The enemy views us as crumbled anyway. And he will not hesitate to kick us when we’re down. Already broken pieces are easier to break, don’t you agree? And even though the enemy is persistent, he is going to pick the easiest way to get us down. He’s going to try to get us at our most crumbled state and attack then.

Take heart, and now look at verses 5-8. I love these so much.

Psalm 62:5-8 “Let all that I am wait quietly before God,    for my hope is in him.He alone is my rock and my salvation,    my fortress where I will not be shaken.My victory and honor come from God alone.    He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.O my people, trust in him at all times.    Pour out your heart to him,
    for God is our refuge.” NLT emphasis mine

Q: What does verse 8 say we should do with our heart?

The core of us, our center, the lifeblood of all that is us, He asks us to pour out. Pour it out to Him!

Q: What happens when something is poured out?

Please give your insight on this question in the comments section. I’d love to hear your word-pictures!

Some things I came up with were that the container became empty. The worth of that which it once held was lost. The container became vulnerable.

Q: What happens when something is filled?

Again, please share your insight on this question in the comments section!

Some of my ideas were that the container’s identity might change based on what it holds. It is more stable. It is useful.

So let’s be emptied, then. These thoughts and reminders make it actually sound desirable, instead of something to be plagued with. The mundane, empty, dry spell may not actually be that bad. It’s just part of the process.

As long as we don’t stay empty. As long as we let Him fill us.

Let Him be the power in you. 2 Cor 4:7 bears repeating, yes?

I like this from the Message translation:

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 “If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!” MSG

Be encouraged in your emptiness. God hasn’t left your side.

Be encouraged if you don’t know what to do next. God knows what to do.

Be encouraged if you’re thrown down. You are not broken.

Be encouraged if you’re going through the worst. You’re getting in on the best.

Let’s close with verses from Psalm 62.

Psalm 62:11-12a “God has spoken plainly,    and I have heard it many times:Power, O God, belongs to you;unfailing love, O Lord, is yours.” NLT