There is a bucket in my back yard that I have neglected for a while. It came as a result of some yard work I did a long time ago. The purpose of the bucket was to be a place where I would put the rocks that I would dig up as I was tilling up the ground.
When I put rocks in this bucket, I would dispose of them in a pile at the back of the yard. It was a great system. The problem came when I forgot about the bucket.
Several months later, I went out into the back yard, and saw this bucket that had evaded my thoughts for so long. As you could imagine, it was mostly full of water from the rain that had fallen during that time. The water was clear, still, and beautiful. Occassionaly, a breeze would blow and the water would gently stir.
When I approached the bucket, I bumped into it, and I noticed that something happened that change my perspective of its beauty. The dirt and sediment became visible and began to travel through the container; contaminating the batch. If I let it sit peacefully still, then the water would become clear again.
Some might find it odd that anyone would get a lesson out of this, but I think there are a few. First, I felt as if God were asking me if I looked like this bucket. Does my faith in Him become disturbed and unclear when there is turbulence in my life? Another thought I had was regarding my “heart condition”. Is there still darkness in my life that needs taken care of? A darkness that is easily seen when times get tough, or pressure increases?
It is easy for us to seek peaceful existences so that water becomes still, the sediment temporarily disappears, and we can pretend it is not there. This attitude, however, doesn’t help us in the long run. It only hinders us from experiencing His abundance. Certainly, as Christians, we don’t seek turmoil, but so many of us continue to ignore the reality that our souls are eroding daily. We neglect prayer. We yawn when we think of scripture. Community worship becomes a hobby that we do “when everything else settles down”. We try so hard to be good, but soon realize that goodness is an empty goal. We fall, and discouragement digs a deeper pit.
How does your bucket look? Are you allowing God to have full reign in your life, or are you simply going through the spiritual motions so that you look good to the world around you? I think God wants a radical transformation in each one of us, and I often wonder if the world is losing trust in Christ-followers, because we tend to play church instead of authentically attacking the evil within us.
God wants more for you and He wants more of you. Be honest with who the true you is, and allow Him to stir up the darkness, so that He may cleanse. Don’t settle for the type of faith that leaves sin unconfessed, and relationships unmended. His way is better.
How’s your bucket?
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net
When I put rocks in this bucket, I would dispose of them in a pile at the back of the yard. It was a great system. The problem came when I forgot about the bucket.
Several months later, I went out into the back yard, and saw this bucket that had evaded my thoughts for so long. As you could imagine, it was mostly full of water from the rain that had fallen during that time. The water was clear, still, and beautiful. Occassionaly, a breeze would blow and the water would gently stir.
When I approached the bucket, I bumped into it, and I noticed that something happened that change my perspective of its beauty. The dirt and sediment became visible and began to travel through the container; contaminating the batch. If I let it sit peacefully still, then the water would become clear again.
Some might find it odd that anyone would get a lesson out of this, but I think there are a few. First, I felt as if God were asking me if I looked like this bucket. Does my faith in Him become disturbed and unclear when there is turbulence in my life? Another thought I had was regarding my “heart condition”. Is there still darkness in my life that needs taken care of? A darkness that is easily seen when times get tough, or pressure increases?
It is easy for us to seek peaceful existences so that water becomes still, the sediment temporarily disappears, and we can pretend it is not there. This attitude, however, doesn’t help us in the long run. It only hinders us from experiencing His abundance. Certainly, as Christians, we don’t seek turmoil, but so many of us continue to ignore the reality that our souls are eroding daily. We neglect prayer. We yawn when we think of scripture. Community worship becomes a hobby that we do “when everything else settles down”. We try so hard to be good, but soon realize that goodness is an empty goal. We fall, and discouragement digs a deeper pit.
How does your bucket look? Are you allowing God to have full reign in your life, or are you simply going through the spiritual motions so that you look good to the world around you? I think God wants a radical transformation in each one of us, and I often wonder if the world is losing trust in Christ-followers, because we tend to play church instead of authentically attacking the evil within us.
God wants more for you and He wants more of you. Be honest with who the true you is, and allow Him to stir up the darkness, so that He may cleanse. Don’t settle for the type of faith that leaves sin unconfessed, and relationships unmended. His way is better.
How’s your bucket?
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net
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