God’s abundance is never more than we can bear, which means all His tests are passable. He only pours into vessels He has hollowed out and cleansed for His use. The style choice for hollowing and cleansing are completely up to Him. As are the timing and duration.
The hollowing task of sorrow…
I’ve been saying since late last year that 2012 was the worst year ever for me. It was a difficult year emotionally and physically. However, spiritually, it was perhaps one of the most productive years of my life. The more time that passes, the harder it is for me to identify the situations that pained me most in 2012, but even in the midst of tests, trials, hardships, disappointments, and deep sorrows I knew God was doing a work in me. He was stripping, scraping, and dragging me through the mud to reshape me. Then he began chiseling and whittling and hollowing me out. It was painful and isolating.
Yet even in the discomfort of transformation, my Good Father gave me clues as to what He was getting me ready for. Even as the remnants of my old life lay in shreds at my feet, the glory of my new life was illuminated before my eyes. I didn’t have to wait until He finished re-sculpting me to experience joy. I was able to experience joy even in the midst of the painful process. Why? Because my Creator was working on me. And as long as my Lord is working on me, I know I am well and truly in His hands.
For the last five months (yes, since the end of 2012), my life has exploded with opportunities I have jumped on, possibilities I have embraced, the manifestation of dreams I had long let go of and the fulfillment of promises I was ready to release my Heavenly Father from. My life has been getting so incredibly full that I barely know where to look from one moment to the next.
…makes room for blessings.
Before 2012, I would have been completely overwhelmed within the first or second month of such fullness. But now I can look back and see my Lord hollowed me out with hardship after hardship after hardship so He could fill me with His blessings. For a time I could only concentrate on my emptiness and the despair from that emptiness and now He’s adding blessing after blessing after blessing. After each new thing my Father brings to me, I wonder how can I possibly take on anything else? As sure as I know anything, I know He has so much more in store for me. And sure enough, the blessings keep on coming and they fit so seamlessly into my life.
That’s the beauty of being hollowed with sorrow – in due time, your deep emptiness will become a deep well of joy.
Rest in His peace, for He truly loves you.
Shawnda
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