Topic: From Overwhelmed to Overflowing [RICK WARREN Devotional 5 february 2023]
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From Overwhelmed to Overflowing
BY RICK WARREN — FEBRUARY 5, 2023
FROM LIVING IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (NIV)
The moment you start doubting the goodness of God and deciding for yourself what will make you happy, all kinds of problems begin in your life. You wind up overworked, overanxious, and overloaded—and just generally overwhelmed!
But God promises you an overflowing life, not an overwhelmed life.
Jesus said, “I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 GNT).
How do you experience an abundant, overflowing life? There is one habit that, if you do it every day, will fill you with an endless supply of God’s goodness: Stay connected to Jesus.
In John 15:5, Jesus compared staying connected to him with a grapevine: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV).
What happens when a cluster of grapes is cut off from the vine? It dies. The same is true with you.
God is your true source of energy and power. If you try to go through life on your own power, you’re going to be overwhelmed. But if you’re connected to him, you’ll have all the power you need. Or, as the Bible says, “Your joy will overflow!” (John 15:11 NLT)
One way to stay connected to Jesus is through a daily quiet time. In a quiet time, you set aside time to be alone with God and get to know him through reading his Word and talking to him in prayer.
Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (NIV).
Even Jesus knew his personal need for connection with God—and he was the Son of God! How much more do you need the strength that comes from daily time with the Lord?
Some days you may not feel like having a quiet time—but do it anyway. If you wait to have a quiet time until you feel like it, Satan will make sure you never feel like it.
Do you find yourself needing more time, energy, knowledge, or opportunity? I want to challenge you to develop the habit of spending daily time with Jesus. When you stay connected to him, you’ll find your life overflowing with God’s goodness and power—and you’ll realize that’s all you really need.
Talk It Over
- What overwhelming situation in your life would you like to have replaced with God’s abundant goodness?
- The more time you spend with your loved ones, the stronger your relationships become. How is that similar to spending time with God?
- What distracts you from spending time with God? What boundaries can you put into place this week to help you stay focused on God during your quiet time with him?
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