The Fullness of Emptiness

The woman who moved into my house back in 1993 was confused.

I'm suprised she knew how to put on her own shoes.

She thought the verse, "He must increase, but I must decrease," was a euphemism. So utterly symbolic as to become non-practical. You know, a la la verse.

The woman thought she could be full of herself and at the same time, be full of God.

See? I told you she was confused.

She'd sit here on the couch in the sunlight and feel sorry for herself because people misunderstood her. She blamed them for their blindness. She had herself on her mind, so the hurts stayed on her mind, too. She wanted to think about God all the time, but her head was filled with her, instead. And she took up a lot of room up there.

And though Jesus lived inside her heart, He was awfully squeezed and cramped down there because He had to share His room with the junk the woman refused to let go of. Moldy, smelly stuff like jealousy, selfish ambition, being offended, worry, and pride--there were lots and lots of boxes marked Pride.

But one year--not one day--one year the woman on the couch finally started listening to things she did not want to hear. Or rather, to things she'd always thought she did not want to hear. She finally allowed herself to be taught that emptiness would lead to fullness. That a decrease of her, in her, meant an increase of God in her. And an increase of all He is--love and light and joy.

So ping! ping! ping! Over the next ten years she's been letting Jesus empty her heart's house. It's been a slow process, but it sped up faster when she let Jesus deal with the pride boxes. They were in greatest number and He tripped on those the most often--so He wanted those gone first. As many as possible.

You should have seen the woman trying to yank back some of those boxes from Jesus' hands, though. No, you can be glad you didn't see that. At times, she thought she knew better than Jesus what should go and what should stay. It got ugly sometimes.

Jesus appreciates having room to move around now. Oh, there's still some junk, but the woman understands the process now. She's seen what freedom looks like--it looks rather like a spacious room with light streaming in the windows.

When Light floods a room, it is full enough.

Where there is Light, there is no dank darkness. No confusion. It's amazing what Light can burn away..

And oh, what miracles cooperation can bring!

And now, even when dark, snowy days are playing outside her windows, there is still Light. And the woman on the couch smiles a whole lot.


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"One must be as humble as the dust before he can discover truth." ...Mahatma Gandhi