I couldn’t help but post this today – very inspiring. It’s from Beth Moore’s Breaking Free study.
Somewhere in the midst of my morning time with God, I ask Him to satisfy all my longings and fill all my hollow places with His lavish, unfailing love. This frees me from craving the approval of others and requiring others to fill my “cup.” Then, if someone takes the time to demonstrate his or her love to me, that’s the overflow! I am free to appreciate it and enjoy it, but I didn’t emotionally require it! See how the love of God that permeates the life through His Holy Spirit brings freedom? Not only am I freed, I am able to free others from having to boost me up emotionally all the time. Hallelujah! Where the Spirit of the Lord’s lavish love is, there is freedom!! Try it and see!
If we’re not experiencing satisfaction, a hindrance exists and we want to identify it and ask God to remove it. Ordinarily, the primary hindrance to satisfaction in our lives is refusing Him access to our empty places.
Those are amazing words from an amazing woman! Too often I have found myself craving the approval of others, and when I haven’t received it my heart aches. I feel like a disappointment to those I haven’t been able to please. God has been working on me in this department. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been a great learning experience.
I have watched a couple in their marriage go through this same thing. All the wife wanted was for her husband to acknowledge certain things she did. She wanted his approval so much on certain tasks, that she didn’t focus on the approval she was getting in other areas. He wasn’t filling her cup the way she wanted it filled.
I have found myself doing the exact same thing. I have tried so hard to get approval from others in certain situations to no avail. My cup is still empty when I leave them and I feel so defeated. I hold out my cup and desire for a Caffe Latte with sugar, cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla. Instead, I wind up with a cold cup of last night’s decaf.
So how do I fix it? By asking God to fill my hollow places, not another individual. I need His lavish, unfailing love; not love from any other human being. So when I receive that love from a friend or family member, it’s just icing on the cake. Without it I’m okay, but with it I’m even better!
Think about that next time you realize your dependent upon the approval of your spouse, friend, or someone in your family. Have you asked God to fill your cup with His love first?