Thursday, January 16, 2014 -- Vulnerable To Emptiness (1)
Formerly bad habits and negative attitudes have played an important role in our lives. We have used them to help us cope with emotional emptiness, a nameless pain, or perhaps some unmet needs residing deep inside us. When we stop the habits and seek to change the attitudes, what are we using to deal with the emptiness and the pain they were covering?
Jesus said: “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.” (Luke 11:24-26 NLT)
Jesus uses this spiritual picture to show us that when we get rid of something bad in our lives, we need to fill the vacancy with something strong and good. The failure to fill the vacancy with something strong and good can lead to a relapse and even cause a person to be worse off than before.
We need to consider whether our lives are being filled with God's power, with God's values, and with the activities God says are good for us. We also need to associate with, and be in the company of God's people. Are we recognizing that as we turn from the old we need to replace it with the new? 1) Our Thoughts OR God’s Truth: When we say "no" to a negative or destructive thought, what truth are we affirming in its place? 2) Our Addictive Practices OR God’s Purposes: When we put away our self-centered and irresponsible lives of addictive behaviour what changes are we making to put God’s purposes into practice each day? How are we making ourselves available to God in service of others? 3) Time to Wander OR Time to Build? What are we doing with the hours of this day and with the talents we currently have, in order to do what God tells us to do -- build His kingdom? How are we praying for others and blessing others with our time and our efforts? How are we being accountable to responsible mentors in order to move past self-interest into surrender to a higher purpose?
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT)
©2014 Partners in Hope
More information on this and other related topics @ www.partnersinhope.ca/resources
Recent Meditations
Giving Hope
Partners in Hope is supported wholly by our friends and community. We are thankful to everyone who partners with us to help bring hope to the discouraged, hurting, and hopeless.