Session 2: Empty or Full?

In Case You Missed It: 

Verse Of The Week  – “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Sit down with the Lord and ask Him to reveal to you what past rejections are still affecting your current relationships and outlook on life.

THE FOUR L’s

Line – What line that someone has said to you in the past still hurts you today?                i.e. “I am leaving you.”

Lie – How have you twisted that line into a lie that you have grown to believe about yourself? i.e. “I am unworthy.”

Label – How have you used this lie to create a label for your own identity?                         i.e. “I am unacceptable.”

Liability – How have you used these lines, lies, and labels to hold others in your life liable for the wrongs that have happened to you in your past? How are you taking your anger, frustrations, deep hurts, and struggles out on current relationships? How is this affecting the growth and progress of current relationships in your life?

This week’s statement to hold onto: I can choose to bring my emptiness or God’s fullness into any situation I face. 

What does bringing your emptiness into a situation look like for you? Maybe it’s you being impatient, hostile, hasty, apathetic – or even acting as if you have a chip on your shoulder. When we are living from our emptiness, we miss the things that God yearns to show us. We become so self-absorbed in our own insecurities that we miss the bigger picture. What does bringing God’s fullness in a situation look like? For me, it looks like kindness, patience, empathy … It looks like me being more understanding and content. It looks like living from the truth that I may not measure up, but my God always shows up and He will never disappoint.

I don’t want life’s unpredictable circumstances to make my mindset full of unnecessary rejection. When we’re about to walk into an uncomfortable or awkward situation, we must take a moment to pause and reset our minds before walking in. We must not be defeated within our own insecurities and realize that every single situation we are put into we are invited either by God or by man and we are there for a purpose and reason. God may be using that situation to stretch us, show us something, build community, speak life into someone, pray for someone, or even just make us laugh or smile that day! Whether that be a party, family gathering, meeting, or church function – YOU have something to offer in all situations. Your light matters. When we get into situations that make us uncomfortable, it’s easy to sink into our emptiness and drown in our insecurities and miss out on what God wants to do through you in the lives of others through any situation we face! Don’t overthink yourself into rejection; live from the fullness of God’s love.

There is no better person that understands rejection than Jesus. Jesus faced CONSTANT rejection, not just from his enemies, but even sometimes from His own people, His disciples. Some people were ashamed to know Jesus, or thought he was a lunatic, or blasphemous. Read Luke 22:47-53. Peter cut off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants. Jesus healed the man. In the middle of His most desperate rejection, Jesus had compassion on one of His persecutors. Thank you Jesus for your perfect example. 

• How was it possible for Jesus to pay attention to the needs of one of His enemies and heal the man’s ear in the midst of such a terrible betrayal?

Read Luke 22:54-62 – Peter denied Jesus three times.

• What might have happened if Peter hadn’t of been afraid of being rejected by the servant girl?
• What if Peter had determined to bring the fullness of God into the situation? Instead he brought his emptiness.

Read John 21:15-17

Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” We all have our things that we choose over Jesus.

• What are “these” in your life?
• Who are the lambs and sheep Jesus asks you to feed? How can you feed them?

Think of a situation where you had the choice to walk into it full of Christ, living loved and looking for ways to bless others, or to walk in looking for others to bless you in your emptiness.

• Which choice did you make?
• What were the results?
• What would you do differently next time?

What does the Bible say about being filled with God’s fullness? Read Ephesians 3:14-19.

• What does being strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in your inner being accomplish? Why is this important?
• What things are possible for us to do only when we are strengthened with power through the Spirit?
  

  Fear gives the power to Satan. Faith gives the power to God.

Take a few minutes to review your own life and ask yourself is there is anything you’ve been chasing instead of God to make you feel more full. Work, family, other relationships, a possession? Are you seeking any of these things to ease your emptiness? Write them down and sit quietly with the Lord for a few minutes. Do you have trouble sitting quietly with God because a sense of emptiness rushes in? What is it like for you to sit quietly?

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” 

It is okay if stillness doesn’t come easily to you. Don’t be hard on yourself. For many of us, quietness without distractions is not our normal.

• Did you find yourself able to focus or did your mind buzz with distractions?
• Is quietness a welcome break or uncomfortable void?
• Were you able to identify anything you have been chasing to ease your emptiness?
• What do you want to do about it?

Allow God to bring His fullness into every part of your life. Watch Him bring a peace that surpasses all understanding, a contentment no matter the circumstances, and a love so deep, so vast, and so wide that covers every insecurity and renews your mind and soul to reach the lost, feed His sheep, and continue your work with vigilance, positivity, and expectancy for what He has promised. Thank you Jesus. 

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” (Phil. 4:12)