Out of the Abundance of the Heart

"What you are filled with with will spill out when you are bumped" Indian Proverb

I absolutely love and relate to this proverb.  It rings so true in many ways probably because it's scriptural.

"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matthew 12:34b

I've been bumped a lot in the past few weeks, bumped by medical worries, bumped by Dr's bills (both girls and me!), bumped by VBS throwing off a family schedule, bumped by closing on a house and trying to move, bumped by physical pain, bumped by fussy kids, and the list could go on.

I wish I could say all these little bumps have drawn me closer to God and that His grace and patience is what has been spilling over, but quite frankly it isn't.  In fact I'm quite ashamed to even consider writing what has been spilling over, not the character qualities of someone who is Christ like that's for sure.

I don't like what I'm filled with lately.  Sure it would be easy to rationalize that being pregnant, trying to take on too many ministries at church, buying a house, moving, and mothering two, two and under is stressful. It would be easy to just give myself a break, but what spills out when we're bumped should remind us what we need to be filling our lives with, even though it might be a natural human reaction to the situation.

If I'm watching more television than normal, out of boredom and absolute fatigue, it will affect me.

If I'm skimping on devotion and prayer time, because I've got "too much to do" it will affect me.

If I'm dwelling on worry rather than praying those worries to God until I have peace, it will affect me.

When I'm filling my life with good and godly things, that's what will spill out.  When I'm filling my life with anything but..... well let's just say I shouldn't be too surprised.