May your cup overflow
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” - Acts 20:35
What a year it’s been! It’s usually only by November when we feel shattered and ready for the year to come to a close, but for many this feeling has carried right through the year. It’s often in times like these, when we live in survival mode, worrying about our next meal or our safety or our health, that we find it difficult to look beyond ourselves, or our family’s needs. There is a Psychology theory called Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that supports this idea. Simply put, it states that our basic needs need to be met before we can begin to self-actualize, to set goals, to dream dreams, to serve others. But then, there is God. There is a God who meets us in our needs and offers a serving a grace that is sufficient to full us to overflowing. Yes, the psychology theories are all correct, but ONLY outside of the grace of God.
It’s not uncommon and you sure aren’t odd, if you’re feeling run-down and you’ve lost the joy in giving. In saying this, Jesus was the one to utter the words of today’s scripture. He didn’t say that some days it was better to give; He merely stopped at ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’.
So why doesn’t it always feel that way? Boundaries, a common word we hear, but one few of us have mastered. We become run-down and lose the cheer in giving as we forget that our cups can dry up and where it is, that we need to refill them. Giving or hosting or serving should come from an overflow. There is cheer in giving when we feel that it does not deplete us. Jesus is the only true source of living water. He is the hope that we have in refilling and refueling, despite our circumstances.
Be encouraged today to go back to your life source. Jesus. He has the power to refill you and re-ignite in you, the joy in giving and serving others. It is only in Him that we can truly love on others, in a way that meets their needs as well as fills us up. He will guide your actions, He will lead you. Come to the Father, let Him fill you up so that you can be blessing. God only requires a willing heart, He does not need finances or a fancy home, or hours on end of free time. He just calls us. Come, Beautiful. Let Him fill you up so that you can find JOY in serving again!
Love, Caitlyn
Women of Reverence welcomes guest blogger Caitlyn De Beer
Caitlyn de Beer is a Life Coach, Author and Speaker and a previous Psychology lecturer. She has coached over 600 individuals from 13 countries worldwide. Caitlyn runs an online course inspiring and empowering mums to let go of mummy guilt and connect with themselves again and she speaks on these topics around South Africa in Churches, corporates and more relaxed settings too. Caitlyn is also the author of Walk out on the Water: 365 daily devotions for women.
Outside of her career, she is a wife, mum to 2 young kids and loves running, Jesus and the beach.