Half Empty, Half Full, or Overflowing?
We all need hope in our lives. In fact, Max Lucado states that we all HAVE hope. Joel Osteen teaches on hope. Joyce Meyer also teaches about encouragement and hope in her series, “Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes.” Even my own pastor preaches about sharing the hope that we have by encouraging others. That got me to thinking; do we really have hope? Does every person have hope, even the ones who seem to be in the pit of the Black Hole with seemingly no way out? You bet they do! Though many don’t believe it.
David writes in Psalm 121:7, “The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life.” It may not seem like He is, but trust me on this, He IS there!
For many years I lived in that black hole of despair, depression, and intimidation. Every time I would poke my head above the tunnel and into the light, someone would stomp me back down into the black abyss. But then, a hand reached out and said, “We’re going to help you out.” At first, I was a bit skeptical about reaching for that hand. Then when I looked there wasn’t just one hand reaching for me, but many. And all the faces attached to those hands were smiling; sincere, warm, loving smiles. So I reached. What happened next is history!
Those hands were given to me by people who have hope and want to share it. They got their hope from the One Who was standing on the outside of the black abyss, waiting for me to come out, but also from the same One Who was in the black abyss with me, helping to push me out! It may sound far-fetched, but when the Lord says, “Enough!” He means it. I had been there long enough and it was time to come out and help others have hope. It was time for me to start reaching out, saying, “Come on! There’s a much better place than where you are. Take my hand, I’ll lead you there!”
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ~Galatians 6:2, NKJV
There are so many people today who believe that they deserve to be in the state they’re in. That simply is not true. Whether it’s alcoholism, drug abuse, pornography, mental, emotional, or physical abuse, or depression, panic, and anxiety, you were not meant to live like that. I have family members who are living in misery right now because they refuse to acknowledge that God has something better for them. They are “glass half empty” people. I choose to be a “glass full to the brim and overflowing” kind of girl. Frankly, because it is! I can eat the cookie AND buy the shoes and still have enough left over to share with the next person if I want to. And I want to!
In Psalm 23 David writes, “He restores my soul…” (vs. 3). God is the restorer of souls. It’s His thing, and He’s good at it. He’s so good at it in fact, that a few verses down David says, “My cup runs over” (vs. 5). God is not out to get you. Others may stand back when you are fighting for your life and say, “You brought it on yourself! God is punishing you. You’re getting what you deserve!” But God does not do that. Instead, He steps forward, reaches out, and says, “Let me help you out.” All we have to do is reach.
It’s time to get out of the pit! I know the way and I’m here to help you. There IS a better place than where you’re at. There IS hope. Take my hand. Let me lead you out. You always have hope, because you always have Jesus. He is our Hope. Come out of there and stop being a “glass half empty” person. Instead, be a “Glass Overflowing” one!
