The concept of half full or half empty is an interesting one. If you are half full then you are anticipating reaching fullness. If you are half empty then you are anticipating emptiness, the end, nothingness.
A few years ago I was listening to a relative complaining about this and that, bemoaning imagined and real illnesses. Suddenly another relative interrupted "well, we're all dying from the moment we're born aren't we? It's downhill all the way!". How depressing. Put like that it's not surprising many people wonder what on earth we are here for. I prefer to think of life as an upward journey, not a downhill spiral.
But many of us will probably be saying to ourselves, if not aloud "it's all very well for you, you don't have this, that and the other problem".
Well I used to be one of those people. I always looked at my life and compared it unfavourably with others. The grass was always greener; the cup half empty.
At one time I felt that although I had everything I needed materialistically, I felt empty inside, angry at my life, hating the world and everyone in it. Then suddenly, I lost almost everything, my marriage, my business, my friends, my horses, and to put the icing on the cake, I was pregnant.
But the moment my son was born I swallowed it all, I just looked at his perfect little form and knew I had to do something to transform myself into someone worthy of being his mummy. Instead of looking at the facts; no job, no money, no husband; I chose to look at the possibilities and see opportunities. Having no job meant I could spend more time with my baby son, I could always earn money because I could teach music in my house, being single would mean I wouldn't have anyone to argue with ;-)
Now that glass was most definitely half full.
In reality it was pretty dire, but I went back to Bahrain anyway, to my beautiful house where I had been living until the 7th month of my pregnancy, with 3 house mates who'd now left me to pay all the rent. That was also a hidden blessing - I now had the whole house for my son and my new home teaching practice. I managed to retain most of my students and then shortly afterwards I was head hunted for a great job as Director of Performing Arts at the British School of Bahrain. This was so awesome, I would be able to continue teaching all my students through their own academy program but also earn a guaranteed income and be able to provide a secure future for my son.
Two years on I found faith in Jesus Christ. Following this it looked like I was once again set to lose everything. But I had my health, I had my son, and now, God was on my side. He would provide. I lost my job and the financial and educational security it would have provided for my son, but, I gained so much more! I got the opportunity to live my dream. To set up Inspire Bahrain, a vision that was given to me by God. To provide training and opportunities in the performing arts scene across Bahrain but without the constraints of working in an organisation such as a school. Now I could combine the corporate training, performance development and team building that I loved with the music and drama coaching and kids activities which I was so passionate about. It would also give me opportunities to work with different areas of the community and really reach out to parts of society that would otherwise be overlooked or would indeed, overlook us!
I could have stared hard into my glass and seen the empty side of things. Again, no money, again, no security, again, no husband. But instead I've never felt so much joy, and the support I received from my new church family at Rivers of Joy was like nothing I had ever experienced. It certainly helps you to remain positive when you surround yourself with positive people. The more I got to know these people over the past 2 years the more I understood why they were so positive and I let their way of life and their love, the love of Christ, rub off on me.
Matthew 10:39 says, "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."
If I had tried to hang on to my old life, my old job, my marriage even, I would have lost everything, I would not be the person I am today. Instead I handed it all over to God who showed me a better way, His way. Now my glass is no longer half empty, or even half full. No, it's overflowing with joy, with love, with peace.
Dear Lord,
You are the way, the truth and the life. You know our struggles, you know our weaknesses, you know our strengths. Nothing is hidden from you.
Thank you that when we repent from our self indulgence and self pity you are there to work all things for good. Thank you for healing us in body, mind and spirit.
Thank you that you are the Provider, our Jehovah Jireh who is always there to fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we never run on empty. There is none like you oh God. Father, give us the strength to turn around, to start again, to walk the better way with you to light our path.
Lord I pray that you will come into the hearts of those who are feeling half empty and fill them so that they might know your peace and love, your power and glory, in this world and the next.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
A few years ago I was listening to a relative complaining about this and that, bemoaning imagined and real illnesses. Suddenly another relative interrupted "well, we're all dying from the moment we're born aren't we? It's downhill all the way!". How depressing. Put like that it's not surprising many people wonder what on earth we are here for. I prefer to think of life as an upward journey, not a downhill spiral.
But many of us will probably be saying to ourselves, if not aloud "it's all very well for you, you don't have this, that and the other problem".
Well I used to be one of those people. I always looked at my life and compared it unfavourably with others. The grass was always greener; the cup half empty.
At one time I felt that although I had everything I needed materialistically, I felt empty inside, angry at my life, hating the world and everyone in it. Then suddenly, I lost almost everything, my marriage, my business, my friends, my horses, and to put the icing on the cake, I was pregnant.
But the moment my son was born I swallowed it all, I just looked at his perfect little form and knew I had to do something to transform myself into someone worthy of being his mummy. Instead of looking at the facts; no job, no money, no husband; I chose to look at the possibilities and see opportunities. Having no job meant I could spend more time with my baby son, I could always earn money because I could teach music in my house, being single would mean I wouldn't have anyone to argue with ;-)
Now that glass was most definitely half full.
In reality it was pretty dire, but I went back to Bahrain anyway, to my beautiful house where I had been living until the 7th month of my pregnancy, with 3 house mates who'd now left me to pay all the rent. That was also a hidden blessing - I now had the whole house for my son and my new home teaching practice. I managed to retain most of my students and then shortly afterwards I was head hunted for a great job as Director of Performing Arts at the British School of Bahrain. This was so awesome, I would be able to continue teaching all my students through their own academy program but also earn a guaranteed income and be able to provide a secure future for my son.
Two years on I found faith in Jesus Christ. Following this it looked like I was once again set to lose everything. But I had my health, I had my son, and now, God was on my side. He would provide. I lost my job and the financial and educational security it would have provided for my son, but, I gained so much more! I got the opportunity to live my dream. To set up Inspire Bahrain, a vision that was given to me by God. To provide training and opportunities in the performing arts scene across Bahrain but without the constraints of working in an organisation such as a school. Now I could combine the corporate training, performance development and team building that I loved with the music and drama coaching and kids activities which I was so passionate about. It would also give me opportunities to work with different areas of the community and really reach out to parts of society that would otherwise be overlooked or would indeed, overlook us!
I could have stared hard into my glass and seen the empty side of things. Again, no money, again, no security, again, no husband. But instead I've never felt so much joy, and the support I received from my new church family at Rivers of Joy was like nothing I had ever experienced. It certainly helps you to remain positive when you surround yourself with positive people. The more I got to know these people over the past 2 years the more I understood why they were so positive and I let their way of life and their love, the love of Christ, rub off on me.
Matthew 10:39 says, "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."
If I had tried to hang on to my old life, my old job, my marriage even, I would have lost everything, I would not be the person I am today. Instead I handed it all over to God who showed me a better way, His way. Now my glass is no longer half empty, or even half full. No, it's overflowing with joy, with love, with peace.
Dear Lord,
You are the way, the truth and the life. You know our struggles, you know our weaknesses, you know our strengths. Nothing is hidden from you.
Thank you that when we repent from our self indulgence and self pity you are there to work all things for good. Thank you for healing us in body, mind and spirit.
Thank you that you are the Provider, our Jehovah Jireh who is always there to fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we never run on empty. There is none like you oh God. Father, give us the strength to turn around, to start again, to walk the better way with you to light our path.
Lord I pray that you will come into the hearts of those who are feeling half empty and fill them so that they might know your peace and love, your power and glory, in this world and the next.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
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