Emptiness

I have neglected Ann Voskamp's blog "A Holy Experience" for far too long!  I followed it faithfully for a while, and for whatever reason, I stopped checking in.  Well, I checked in today and she is counting three gifts a day all year until it hits 1000!  So I'm going to start today in counting at least three things I'm thankful for each day...I'll call this #51-53.


Thankful for emptiness.  That seems to be an impossibility.  Emptiness is always equated with loneliness...uselessness.  An empty tank in a car takes you nowhere.  An empty stomach causes a gnawing ache inside.  But what about an empty life?  Is it painful?  Is it lonely?  Is it useless?  This world would tell us "yes."  Why else do we try so hard to fill our days with movement, noise, activity, acquaintances, busy-ness?  Even Christ-followers are guilty of filling our time according to this world's standards.  We satisfy ourselves on the things of this world, and because we are so full of the world, there is no room left for Him.  The Bride has even become guilty of filling our lives with "church" instead of worship.  We have become Martha...too busy to join Mary at the feet of Jesus.

So why should we be thankful for emptiness?  Because unless we are emptied of ourselves, of the world, we have no room for Jesus to fill us.  John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease."  I must be emptied of myself every single day.  Because when I am full of myself and the world, that is when I become useless in the hands of the Potter.  My emptiness...our emptiness of ourselves allows God to fill us to overflowing with his mighty, victorious power.  So yes, emptiness is something to be thankful for.  Emptiness allows God to use this weak and broken vessel for His glory.

51.  An empty gas tank...because it means that I got to make a trip with my boys to visit Grandmomma and Grandaddy.  I'm so thankful for my parents and their love for their grand babies.  I hope my boys grow up with sweet memories of their time with their grandparents.

52.  An empty composition book in which to scrawl and doodle and muse.

53.  An empty classroom...because I desperately needed this summer break!

Father...that You may increase and I may decrease.  Empty me of the troubles of the world and fill me with Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.