If you missed us last week, you can catch us here; but here's the short of it: We're reading through Ann Voskamp's 1,000 gifts and talking about a chapter a week. Today's chapter one. You are in no way required to read the book, but we would love if you did. We plan on summarizing it weekly and talking about it/applying it to our everyday lives. And when I say we, I mean my sweet friend Nicole and me. Oh, you don't know Nicole? Go meet her over at Bloom.
What is a full life? What is that point at which "we would have it all"? Are you there? What's holding you back from it?
For me, (Lauren), I have tried so many things trying to get "there", to that full life. Clothes, shoes, new things, boyfriends, school, work, and in the end it's all just striving. It gives a high that lasts until that "thing" is grasped, and then that always out of reach fullness is gone. Leaving behind disappoinment and I'm left to sit in the lie that the "thing" promised. You see, all those "things" I want that promise the fullness, they never fulfill. So for years, I'm striving, flailing, and always coming up empty.
This is the serpents lie. That God isn't good.
hat He is purposely withholding these "things" that would make me full.
The serpent keeps hissing, keeps lying. He infects my brain and I wonder "How is there a good God with cancer, with death, with babies that die, when marriages fail, when dreams are crushed? How is God good?" And I slowly begin to believe: that I can have more without God. That I can do better. That I deserve MORE.
This is the air of the world, the air that we breathe. "Satan's sin becomes the first sin of all humanity: the sin of ingratitude" (Voskamp, Chapter 1)
Instead of saying "No" to God and all He gives, could we say "Yes"?
Would I say yes? I've lived the "no".
I hunger for more in this world. more than those things that promise fulfillment and leave me empty handed.
His purpose is not to withhold, but to rename us--to bring us to what He created us to be, back in the garden when we were in communion with Him. so these heartaches that are here, the ones we can't change, He knows them. He knows the ending, so He writes the story. and I can give thanks in all of it. Because He is renaming me--calling me to Himself in all of it. In the hurt of it.
A few questions for you:
What is a full life? What gets you there?
What lie are you believing?
Beautiful post and a lot of truth to chew on here!
ReplyDeleteI needed to read this. I'm there, grasping for the things that are just out of reach. Thanks for the reminder that He is more than enough :)
ReplyDeleteI've found this to be such a constant struggle- but when I measure God's compassion by the cross and His power by the resurrection then it's much more difficult to believe Satan's lies!
ReplyDeleteFull life is finding my contentment and worth in Christ- no matter my education, relationship status, employment or image.