An Absolute Necessity
By Katie Graves, Contributing Writer
God.
Coffee.
Family.
Community.
Air.
Food.
Water.
God.
Coffee.
These are my necessities.
Never once did I consider being empty a necessity. Until recently.
What God has revealed to me in this hard and beautiful truth has been life changing.
He revealed this to me in the midst of my first MS (Multiple Sclerosis) relapse. Seven weeks of debilitating fatigue, weakness, numbness. Pretty much incapable of doing life’s daily activities. At first glance, this doesn’t seem like a blessing. But see, God is an AMAZING doer through the impossible, the weak, the incapable…when we ask Him.
I would wake up each morning and say “Lord, I have nothing to give.
Nothing to offer. But I beg You to draw me near to You, today. Speak to
me. Use me. Work in me. Lay on my heart those I can pray for.”
Maybe you’ve been there?
An unexpected divorce. A lost child. A diagnosis. Unimaginable grief.
Financial hardship.
Sometimes consequences of our own doings. Sometimes not. Yes, God unconditionally loves you right there. But there’s more! He wants to redeem and transform you.
He wants to use it….for your GOOD.
I simply can not articulate what He did in and through me….in spite of my weakness. Those 7 weeks were some of the most beautiful in my entire journey of faith. Why? Because, it is my natural instinct—and yours— to do life in our own strength.
You know;
Accomplish more.
Try harder.
Do better.
Work faster.
But you see, something beautiful happens when we are 100% empty….and we allow God to take over.
Not 50%. Not 75%.
ONE. HUNDRED. PERCENT.
He revealed to me in a very tangible way that He gave us the amazing gift
of His Holy Spirit to work in us. And when we completely take SELF out of
the picture (voluntarily or involuntarily) and ask His Spirit to work through
us, He will blow our minds. But we need to completely empty ourselves of
ourselves. And that is not easy.
It takes being very intentional.
It takes practice.
It takes consciously silencing the enemy’s voice in our heads.
It REQUIRES beginning each day on our knees, asking The Heavenly
Father to help us completely empty ourselves so that He can have 100%
free reign in our hearts and lives. Absolute Surrender.
And until we come face to face and heart to heart with this truth, I believe
we will never know true abundant life He so wants us to experience. This has nothing to do with our circumstances but everything to do with His unimaginable peace, joy, and purpose in the midst of life’s circumstances.
Who would’ve ever thought that emptiness, sickness, weakness could be such a gift?
That’s God. The most amazing, mind-blowing, Giver of GREAT things. Right smack dab in the midst of our messy, hard, weak, and incapable.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. -Ephesians 3:20
And this, my friends, is the BEST gift we’ve ever been given!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Thank you to Katie Graves for contributing this article to the #RealHope series
Katie writes for her blog, KatieGraves.com
This article is part of the #RealHope blog series and Hope Is Holiday Devotional Study.
For information regarding our current and future studies, visit our Bible study page.
Simply amazing! Thank you for sharing this, Katie. I once was in the same position (except not through MS). I had damaged my lungs during renovating/gutting an old house without a dust mask. For a couple of months I couldn’t do much. Mostly I sat in a chair and coughed. I had to sleep sitting up. However, the one thing that I remember most clearly about this time was the precious grace of God that I experienced as I rested from all my labor and rested in God. I will always treasure this time as a special time of communion with God.
Thank you for these words, Diane! God is so gracious to use (and fill) the broken, the weak, the imperfect! I’m so thankful! Merry Christnas!
Thanks, Katie. Beautifully said. It’s not easy to empty ourselves of ourselves, but what a blessing we will receive if we do. I have read through this several times already and plan to keep it close by for a much needed reminder. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you, Mary Ann!
You’re right, it’s SO hard to completely depend on Him instead of our own strength. (Or lack of it) He’s so patient with me! 😀
Merry Christmas to you!!