A couple weeks ago, I watched a sermon that changed my life. Literally. It was one of those sermons in which the presence of the Holy Spirit is so undeniably present in and through the speaker, and causes you to rethink your relationships, reevaluate your approach to living, and reconsider the indescribable value and identity that our Creator has graciously given us as His children. While there are so many elements of this particular sermon that I could expand on, one idea in particular stood out to me:
“If you have a source of life, you can be a source of life.” ~ Ben Stuart, Pastor of Passion City Church, Washington D.C.
At first read, this concept seems so simple, right? But it wasn’t until I truly began to unpack and understand the depth of this statement that I was able to realize it’s intricate value, as well as it’s application to so many relationships in our lives–whether it’s a friendship, a business relationship, or a romantic relationship. What I think Ben is trying to convey here is that if we do not have a source of life (God) present in our lives–to gain our love, acceptance, and validation from–then we cannot serve as an abundant source of life for others. If we try to quench our thirst for love and acceptance from friends, or satisfy our hunger for attention from a boyfriend or girlfriend, or try to satisfy ourselves emotionally or sexually through unhealthy behaviors, we can’t expect to possess the capacity to love others well.
• Some of us may turn to drugs, pornography, alcohol, or sex to fill that void of immediate gratification, only to find ourselves soon hungry for more.
• Some of us may be consumed with increasing the number of our social media followers, ‘likes’, or portraying a better life than we actually live, in order to ascribe meaning to our existence.
• Some of us may workout excessively, or refrain from eating, or make ourselves sick in order to lose weight, so that we will fulfill the expectations this world seems to place on us to look a certain way, or to attain a level of attractiveness, only to end up more unhealthy than we thought we were before.
• Some of us may lie to ourselves as we enter into relationships we know aren’t healthy or helpful to our lives emotionally, spiritually or physically, only to end up frustrated or brokenhearted.
• Some of us may drown ourselves in work and tirelessly try to climb the corporate ladder, all the while aiming for more money or more status while ignoring our exhaustion and ignorance to things that truly matter, resulting in broken or hurting relationships.
Friends, we all possess a God-shaped void in each and every one of us. Ben talks about how when there is scarcity in our hearts in a certain area, it leads to desperation. That overwhelming desperation then leads to the exploitation of others. In other words, in our efforts to gain meaning, value, and acceptance from others, or bandage the wounds from our past, or find what we perceive to be love, we end up trying to suck life out of others. As we are disconnected from our greatest and most powerful Source of life, and our oxygen tank is empty, we seek to squeeze life from others to have our own needs met. It’s why you see so many broken relationships. Or addictions. Or selfish ambitions. Somehow, we don’t trust that God’s love is sufficient enough, or that it can fill each and every void and desire that is deeply embedded in our hearts and souls.
If we are connected to an inexhaustible source of love, we can only then be free to love others in turn. In our weak and vulnerable states of humanity, we can’t expect to be the friends, neighbors, coworkers, husbands, wives, or parents that we were created to be if we rely on our own energy and abilities. We can never expect to get relationships with others right until we get our relationship with God right. Receive His love. Believe in His love. Cherish His love.
(P.S., the link to this sermon is posted below, you may need a tissue box handy. Enjoy!)
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8
Much love,
Cait
http://www.theporch.live/messages/4927
**Thank you to Ben Stuart and The Porch @ Watermark Church for featuring this incredible speaker and sermon!**
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