Stepping Stones: How Do You Fill Your Vessel?

Transformational Thought

This banner ad came across my screen yesterday as I was on the Internet: “10 ways to be happier in 2 minutes or less.” Wow, what a deal! I would even splurge and give 10 minutes. Be honest with yourself, would you have clicked on the link? I would really like to know how many people clicked in search of quick-hit happiness. I’m even more curious to see how many Christians clicked.

Why is happiness, true lasting happiness, regardless of circumstances, so hard to “find”? And when we do find happiness … why does it leave us so quickly? Scripture tells us that God created us as earthen vessels, but I believe I am such a leaky container that I can never really get filled and stay filled. Our fleshly lenses are so me-oriented. We want more to soothe us; we focus on our discomforts and what we don’t have. It makes happiness so elusive. Our selfish need to have more makes happiness very short-lived.

I need my vessel to be filled over and over because I get empty so quickly. But while we are earthen vessels, God designed us to be filled with heavenly content that can’t leak out … to fill our vessels with Him and His wisdom. Whether we choose to use this full vessel, or just pour it out and replace it with other stuff that easily leaks out, is the million-dollar decision that is up to us.

So where do you go to “fill-up?” What do you put in your vessel? When you put the right God-gifts in your vessel, do you use and re-use them and enjoy the happiness they bring? Or do you pour them out and replace them with a cheap substitute? Do you go to the dollar store to grab items that break easily, causing you to revisit frequently without ever being satisfied? Go to the quality store where the valuable items that take more commitment to “buy” and patiently pursue quality that lasts.

Today, remain in the presence of Your God. He is excited and proud to fill you with His Glory-gifts. But this takes time … do not rush the process. Examine some truths you already know and see if you can apply them to a couple more small areas of your life over and over, instead of applying cheap imitations from the world or your past. This is how you use and re-use the Glory-gifts in your vessel. Where you look for happiness is your decision. Choose well.

Prayer
Dear Father God, Without You my emptiness is profound. I know that I am an earthen vessel … and a leaky one at that. I need to be filled and refilled with You, my Father. Please fill me with Your love, joy and peace. Because Your gifts leak out of me, I need your continual presence … I need You endlessly for renewal. I have been empty for so long, Father … for as long as I can remember. I always knew that I was a leaky vessel. I saw myself as a defect … a mistake. But I rejoice in the awareness that I am not a mistake … that You made me to allow the world’s stuff to leak out and to hold in your glory-gifts. This keeps me looking at You and coming to You for renewal. Thank You, Father. All praise and glory be to You. I also pray, Father, that You fill me with Your Holy Spirit … the most precious treasure of all. Fill me with Your holy scripture. And as You fill me with Your gifts, let Your beautiful light shine through me like a Lighthouse into other people’s lives. Let me do Your work today, Lord, in ways that I don’t even understand. I pray in need of and through the perfect filling for my vessel, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
However, we possess this precious treasure (the divine light of the Gospel) in (frail, human) vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:7

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven
Matthew 5:16