living out of overflow

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:5-6

I wish that once we learned a spiritual lesson, we would never have to learn it again. With that in mind, recently I had to rediscover the truth of that powerful little phrase in Psalm 23, “My cup overflows” (v.5).

Where does that overflow come from and why isn't my cup full?

Too often we look at life from our capacity. We've got ten things to do today, three people to see, and no time for this or that. We measure it out by our capacity.

But God says, “I don't want you to live for me out of your capacity. Serve me out of your overflow. Focus on me again and you won't have to worry about how to measure out what you give. I'll keep pouring into your life and you can live off the overflow.”

You say, I have no idea how to experience that. What's my problem?

It's hard to accept, but often our problem boils down to sin. We call it more polite names, but anything that causes our cup to stop overflowing is sin. Call it “fatigue” and stop serving the Lord—but it's still sin. Call it “pressures at work” which makes you lose your peace—but it's really sin.

Not many of us think of our lack of abundance as sin, but that's why our cups do not quickly overflow again. Where sin is admitted and confessed, the blood of Jesus cleanses from all unrighteousness. Where his blood cleanses, his Spirit always witnesses in us and the cup runs over again. His blood, however, doesn't cleanse excuses.

When you find yourself holding back for fear of an empty tank, do these two things:

• Ask the Lord to reveal to you what is blocking the abundance in your life and confess it as sin.

• Increase your time in God's Word and in prayer.

Do this regularly and you won't ever have to worry again about having enough. —James MacDonald walkintheword.com

seeking: Father, what have you revealed about my own lack of overflow? What are you drawing out of me?

responding: How often this week have I felt weary in doing the right thing? What's going on? • How can I resist living the Christian life in my own strength?

Thank you, God, for your abundant provision. Let me live from the overflow and claim the opportunities you give me to live for you, to love you, and to serve you. How rich I am!

following: Live out of your overflow in Jesus.

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