In chapter 3, I share how “our hearts leak and will always end up empty when we find our worth in anything but who we are in Christ. Our value is not measured by what others think of us—but we surely live like it is, don’t we? It’s almost as though we wake up every morning with an empty jar, like Sam, and walk around holding it out to people or things, hoping they will fill us…”
In today’s video message, I talk about the things we look to and illustrate how we can allow God to fill the empty places in our hearts…
Please click the arrow below to watch.
(Optional) Download my “Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here. We want you to just watch and let God speak to your heart the first time, but we also knew some of you will want the notes. I even included blanks for you to fill in. 🙂
UPDATE: It’s been quite a week at our house…a trip to the ER with my mom after a bad fall Sunday, I woke up sick on Tuesday and my son Andrew (14) broke his collar bone that same afternoon. Wednesday we found out I had bronchitis and that Andrew’s break was much worse than we expected. Fortunately, we are doing a good bit better today. God’s kept us close to His promises and provided strength and encouragement through so many of your prayers and notes. THANK YOU!!
Connecting in Community: I’d love to hear your thoughts about this week”s video message and your answers to questions at end of Chapter 3. If you left a comment earlier in the week, let’s talk about questions we hadn’t answered yet. Like 4-7. And how the video message ties into the question about finding our “worth-ship” in Christ.
Just click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that – share your thoughts, I love to hear them! And I’ll share mine too.
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Thank you Renee for this message. I never realized just how guilty of look to others to fill me I was until now. I now see how God will fill us with unfailing love and we can thank Him for those blessings that we have. I pray that I’ll be able to remember this in those times when I’m feeling run down.
Heather:)
It was a perfect message for me today. Thank you.
Thanks for the video! I needed that.
Don’t we all tend to want God with skin on so to speak. He truly is a rewarder of those who seek Him and to truly seek Him, we need to have our attention fastened on Him. I love the quote by Jim Elliott (missionary years ago): ” He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Thenk you Renee for your faithfulness in doing this bible study. Please know that we are praying for healing for you and Andrew. Please do not feel stressed that you might let us down because of all that is coming at you. You have written the book; that in itself is a great ministry. God will fulfill His purposes for us one way or another. Rest in Him. Many blessings for you and your family!
…I so agree, and Renee…do pace yourself….we are all understanding to ‘real life situations’…we love and appreciate you!
Thank you for that video message. It really does help to get the message into my head and I am praying that it will get into my heart as well. I love how you said “Shift your dependence from the gifts to the giver.”
I pray for myself and all our online study sisters to absorb those powerful words. Lord, help us keep our eyes on you and strive only to please you. Thank you Renee’!
As I watched you pour the water in the “empty palces” I realized God wants to fill us to over-flowing with living water so we can overflow onto others just as you are doing. Many are called but few are chosen. The “chosen” answer the call. Praying for you and your family.
1. Not sure what that would be relating to…Following God has been “crazy” (from the view of onlookers). I left the church I grew up in, the security of pleasing my parents and the “rules” of “do’s and don’ts”…to come to Jesus and develop a living faith. As far as getting “love” from mankind, I have struggled with that and don’t believe there is anyone who “measures up”…not even me…which, if I read the Bible correctly is right. The problem with that is that I have to adjust the way I look at things and realize that truly all I need will come from God. That I can love others with His love…when I receive it.
2. Many years ago I thought that having a husband would fulfill me. Then, having children would do it. I have come to realize that the most precious relationship is truly the one I have with the LORD. Sadly, I don’t always live like I believe that…though it is still true. I discovered this truth through much pain as I worked through (and am working through) disappointment after disappointment. Nope, it’s not in me or any human…it HAS to be Him!
3.Yes, yes, yes and yes. No to the heart…not yet full. There are empty places that I would like HIM to fill. I would like to understand His affection toward me. I would like to know that I matter to Him and that I am not forgotten or “pushed in a corner.” Some days I know these things better than others. I would love to see His smile as He looks at me.
It’s easier to try to fill our lives with other things…especially because “stuff” and “people” are more tangible than God is usually. It’s difficult to long to see and touch Him…to feel His hugs…there is an ache that no human can fill…and I’m not sure how God does that–to give us affection.
Carla
What you said, “I would like to understand His affection toward me. I would like to know that I matter to Him and that I am not forgotten or “pushed in a corner.” Some days I know these things better than others. I would love to see His smile as He looks at me” – this is so real. Thank you for sharing your heart on this.
I share these same feelings with you. I am comforted by the fact that He already knows the deepest desires of my heart. He seeks me out this way. He is drawing us closer to Him!
Great video, great visual! I shared it on FB. And although I know this isn’t really pertinent!, I love your necklace! Looking forward to the next video!
Thank you for today’s video. It really spoke to me. I have a tenancy to look to other things or people to fill me when I should be looking to God to fill me up.
Thank you so much for this visual! That was such a blessing! If you don’t mind I hope to use this visual for the Ladies at my church as well! I am so guilty of trying to fill my life with material things….clothes, decorations for my house, you name it! Lord forgive me…
Again, thank you so much for this FREE bible study that you are doing with us! I have used these scriptures so many times in the last few weeks for so many different areas of my life! Just yesterday I said, “Lord, I trust you! You are my confidence! Yes Lord…I AM confident in You! I know that you will see me through this certain spot in my life!”
Loved the video. The interpretation of the “material things” & Living Water was just awesome. BTW, Love the necklace.
This is such a good visual, and an awesome message. My children are grown and have moved two states away, so it’s just my husband and me again! I struggle so with God being enough. I know it in my head but it’s a daily battle to keep the loneliness and feelings of uselessness away. Thank you so much for helping my head knowledge become heart knowledge.
Praying for you and your son…
I struggle with the idea that God can be “enough”. I don’t know how that could be. The hole inside of me, my need to be loved is so deep. And yet he is enough because he is the one who created me, and therefore created the need! My prayer this week has been that God will show me that he is enough and how a relationship with him can satisfy.
Thanks for this video – I need visuals from time to time. Hope you and your son are feeling better. Prayers for both of you. I always looked for a relationship to complete me. It only has been the last couple of years and since reading your book that I know that only God can fill me completely.
Renee, Every time you offer to do this study together and each time with more tools….I sigh and wish I had the strength but never do it. I may have done a chapter or two and given up. That old godly woman that led Bible studies and mentored others is long gone and forgotten. I fell into despair, anxiety, and major depressive disorder which later in years turned to my current diagnosis of bipolar disorder. With little to NO support even to this day it is difficult to not desire that comfort and unconditional love with skin in it. I know…I KNOW GOD IS LEADING ME DOWN THE PATH TO TEACH ME THAT “ITS JUST YOU AND ME KEL! “how. EITHER NO ONE ANSWERS MY PHONE CALLS, OR I HAVE ACTUALLY ASKED AN OLD AND DEAR FRIEND FOR PRAYER ON THE PHONE AND SHE TOLD ME SHE JUST COULDN’T! SHE HAD FINENESS ALL SHE HAD. SHOCKED, I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND PRAYED GOD HELP ME AND ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD LIKE ME TO PRAY FOR HER? SHE WAS AS SHOCKED AS I WAS AND SAID YES AND AFTERWARDS SAID NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD SHE HAVE GONE LOOKING FOR THAT BUT IT WAS JUST WHAT SHE NEEDED….THANKS, GOTTA RUN! I WAS STUNNED AND SAID GOD, WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? I HEAR YOU…ME AND YOU. IT IS LONELY EVERY DAY. MY HUSBAND WORKS ABOUT 11you HORS A DAY. I HAVE LEARNED EVEN HE WILL FAIL YOU…BECAUSE HE IS BUT FLESH. BUT STILL I KEEP SEEKING FOR OTHERS TO FILL ME UP AND MEET MY NEEDS AS I REALLY DO NEED HELP SOMEDAYS. BUT SO FAR HIS ANSWER IS “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU”. THANKS FOR TAKING AWAY THE ANGER TODAY AND REMINDING ME YET AGAIN, ONLY HE CAN SATISFY. AND TO THINK I WAS JUST ON MY KNEES YESTERDAY IN OUR CHURCH CHAPEL CRYING OUT AND ASKING FOR CLEAN HANDS AND A CLEAN HEART AND FOR MORE HUMILITY and GRACE. GOD HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL.
dear, dear Kelly….your sharing so deeply, moved my heart, as it will others..’thank you’, as it took courage to do so. I also, have ‘looked’ down a dark, empty tunnel….in my mind….and until I CRIED out to God, our heavenly Father…it didn’t know what else to do. HE IS THERE…HE WILL BRING you closer to Himself…and by opening yourself to Him..inch by inch..He will be answering you in only the way He knows is best for you. Seek Him only…Listen to Him, only….and ONLY HE will ‘satisfy’ your soul!
Praying for you my sister in Jesus,
and PRAISING HIM for this study!!!!
Renee,
This video could not have come at a more perfect time. I am realizing, not that I am filling my life with the wrong things, but I am desperately trying to figure out what will fill and complete my life now that my marriage has ended. Yes, that obviously points to the fact that I was expecting my husband to fill areas of my life that he could not possibly fill. My eyes are being opened and I am praying that the knowledge I have had in my head for many years can start settling in my heart so that I can find my confidence in God once again.
Ronda
So appreciated your video today. I felt like living water was being poured into me as it was poured into the vase. A feeling of peace overcame me…
When I woke up this morning I started feeling the weight of the world until I quoted this week’s scripture to myself…I stopped worrying.
A sentence from Chap. 3 really spoke to me, “Until God’s love is enough nothing else will be”! This book is changing my life, making my heart more sensitive to God…Thank you, Renee…God’s protection & blessings on your life…
That sentence was the one that caught my attention. I’ve underlined and also journelled about it and how I want that to be my on going desire.
Oh my goodness! What an AMAZING video post. I love seeing your visual aid. It is so true how we look to those things to fulfill our hearts but in the end we still fell empty. Re-shifting my mind set this week. Thank you so much:)
Thank you Renee! These are all things that I know are so true, but need to be reminded of once again!
I liked having the worksheets to go along with the video too.
Thank you so much for the message today. I have to say that I have forgotten how much we need Jesus to fill our hearts and not the things of this world. This message has convicted me of my wanting other things. I need to focus on Him and not other things. God Bless You, Renee!