We will be filled

The other day, a friend of mine posted some interesting thoughts on a pertinent topic on her blog: dwelling on the past. The discussion on the blog inspired my own thoughts about the subject and so I've decided to share them here. You can find her blog at http://tishalou-tlt.blogspot.com/.

I have fallen into past dwelling often, as well. I'll use a silly example: after a sporting event (likely basketball, football, or baseball), if I didn't play a perfect game (let's face it...hmmm...that was every game, of course!), I would mull over that one play or plays that I made the slightest of mistakes on. I would replay it over and over in my head...sometimes I would even be up half the night, lying in my bed, wanting to go to sleep, but actually sweating as I saw the play in my head and tried to make the right move...wow, talk about trying to change the past. And I wasn't actually trying to change the past, but I was so fixated on it, that it was all I could see or think about. (visualization actually has a purpose in sports, but this is way off-base from healthy visualization)

That can certainly happen in much more serious situations, as well, and I think many of us have encountered our tendency to do so. What I've found over the years goes back to an old principle that I've heard preachers speak about: have you ever tried to not think about something? Quick, don't think about chocolate..................
don't think about it.............
haha, you're thinking about it! The key to keeping our eyes, ears, and minds off of destructive things (pasts, or present temptations) is not to aim at "not thinking about them," but instead filling your mind with something else. If you dive into a book or flip on the TV, it helps you divert away from what is plaguing your mind temporarily. Going further, sincerely diving into the Word or engaging in fervent prayer is a sure way to divert your thoughts, but with a much greater and lasting result. I would suggest starting your prayer with the very thing you are dwelling on...that past thing...and as you continue to pray, allow your mind to hear God and focus on all those around you that need prayer...and focus on His goodness and pure love. Soon enough, He'll be setting our eyes, hearts, and minds on something much greater--Himself--as well as our present and immediate next step that He wills us to do and to think about.

I think sometimes, earth is like a steady rain...a rain of worldly things, temptations and distractions from God. These rains vary from flooding downpours to light sprinkles, or even to clear, sunny days. But just like the earth and the weather, storms will persist in the coming days and months and years. Ah, but those rains, as well as the sunny days serve a great purpose, don't they? Both are needed for growth, and I think we are exactly the same way. In fact, I know we are exactly the same way, for I have experienced it. I believe there is no coincidence in the innumerable ways that our lives are analogous to such things in all of creation around us--we have the same Creator and we can see His common touch if our eyes are open. I think He loves giving us such "clues," especially when we open our eyes to them.

Additionally, we know we are to be filled by God and His Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:7:10 -
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body."

1 Cor 3:16-17 – “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

In the previous example of rain storms of the world, we are like glasses, or vessels. An empty vessel will fill up with the nasty rain water, full of the world and its destruction. The key to rejecting the rain is to be filled with something else--the Holy Spirit! Going further, if we leave ourselves exposed haphazardly, though we may be filled, the rain water can still enter in and dilute the good that is in our vessel. Enter the shield of faith and entire armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)--covering up the top of us as vesels, so that the Spirit remains pure in us without the diluteness of the world. So never seek to be half full of the Spirit, because then you'll be half full of the world--we don't stay empty, even partially...we will fill with something. We need to seek to be 100% filled with the goodness of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit!