Potholes

Have you ever been driving on the freeway, etc., and hit a really bad pothole? Potholes can impact the alignment of your tires, or ruin them in entirety. They can even  have an impact on your engine. Similar to the holes in our own lives, potholes can be plainly visible, or hidden (like a thief in the night, chil’), but all need to be handled, and all damage will eventually need to be addressed. Well, whether you recognize it or not, we’ve all shown up to do some work, and fill the potholes that we all have in our own lives today. Ready?! Really?!!! Yeeeeeessssss….let’s go. 

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart….” - Psalms 34:18 

I’ve added a new request to my prayer life. I lay my flesh, my will, my heart, etc. at the feet of Jesus on His alter. However, I don’t just drop it & walk away. I ask Him to fill the holes created inside of me as a result of me laying all of that at His feet. I ask Him to fill me with His joy, etc. because I don’t want to walk around & fill myself with God knows what. It’s probably one of the best conscious changes I’ve made since I started following Christ (for real) because it requires constant reassessment of myself. It’s my drawn out “less of me, more of you” moment, and it’s caused me to think more….about the holes in my life. 

I’ve realized that regardless of how old you are, what race, religion, or class you may be in, everybody has a hole somewhere. There’s something in everybody that’s either empty or needs to be changed. Holes can be connected to just about every area of your life. Financial, mental, emotional, etc. Bad habits can be a sign of holes in your life. Temptations & trials may reveal various holes in your life. Holes always remind you that while you’ve come so far, you’ve still got some spaces that need to be filled. Holes show you what you need to be made whole. If you don’t have holes, there’s something in you that needs to be upgraded, which would require you to lay something at Jesus’ feet…and create a hole (trust me, I’ve been on every part of the spectrum). Depression can be the result of a hole. Low self esteem is a hole. Trust issues are tricky, because they can cause holes & be one themselves. Pride is a hole. Fear can create holes. If it can keep you from completing God’s perfect will for your life, or it causes you to self-destruct, it’s a hole, boo…and today we’re going to figure out how to feel it.

There are some holes inside of us that we don’t even realize exist until they’re triggered or tapped at. For example, unforgiveness can be a hole. Have you ever thought that you’d forgiven somebody….and still got mad when you saw them or mentioned them? Have you thought that you’d moved past a situation, and wonder why it still seems to….linger in your life? There’s a hole somewhere that needs to be filled in order for you to really move forward. The various holes that we have in our faith are verrrrryyyyy good at hiding, especially if you go to the chu’ch house on Sundays like a good down home saint of the Most High! We can all shout, get excited, and run around the church, but can you put your full faith in God when He tells you to leave your happy place for His purpose? Can you trust God when your bank account isn’t agreeing with those bills? Can you really drop everything for Jesus…and not have a backup plan? See?! They’re everywhere! Some of you may already know where the holes in your life are, others may have to think a bit, or wait on God to reveal them (I’m convinced He enjoys that lol); regardless of where you are, please know that only God can truly fill that void. 

I think that we live in a world full of broken people. We walk around with holes of various sizes….wondering what it means to be whole. We put up these appearances on social media, in our public appearances, etc., but how many of those people are truly as happy as you think they are? It’s time to stop faking, and to start being. You can’t overcome what you don’t confront. We spend so much time living the lives we think others approve of. So much time is spent….unhappy. Settling for existence is a result of a hole somewhere. There’s a gap that needs to be filled in order for you to live the abundant life, but if you refuse to address that it exists, you’ll continue to live in mediocrity when you’re destined to excel. 

(So, it’s personal story time…apparently it’s a trend here lately lol) There’ve been a string of storms in Texas lately. After a storm that occurred this weekend, my cable service went out. The storm was over. The rain, thunder, etc. had passed, but things in my home were still impacted. I wonder if the same things can happen to us. I wonder if life’s storms have passed us by….and left us broken. I wonder if the very things that we thought would kill us didn’t kill us…but they bruised us up pretty badly. I wonder how many of us are suffering from weapons that didn’t prosper, and storms that didn’t pass. I wonder….how many of us have lost our joy, our peace, our faith, our trust, our self-control, etc….to the things that have happened to us. Well, you can’t change what may have broken you, but I know somebody that can put you back together again…and make you better than you were before. 

Jesus took holes in His hands that your heart, your mind, and every part of your life would be whole. Your brokenness can become your breakthrough, but only if you place that void in the right hands. We do so much to fill the holes in our lives. Some shop without boundaries (or sense) when they can’t really afford it. Others try to use people to fill the empty spaces in our lives. They’ll date to ensure that somebody is always around, or surround themselves with the wrong people & become who they want them to be instead of facing who they really are. Some people smoke. Some drink….a lot. However, all of the things that we do are temporary; that’s why we have to do them so often, because they fade when we needed it to last forever. I spent a while trying to fill various holes in my life, and you know what stuck? Yep…sweet baby Jesus. When I found my identity in Him, I found true confidence. I gave Him my heart & He’s never broken it. People have failed me (even after I dedicated myself to Him), but He’s always been there to help me heal. Jesus isn’t the ‘permanent solution’ because He’s magical; He’s permanent because He’s consistent. Many times, holes are created in our lives because somebody or something stopped being consistent. We depend on people, and they walk out or let us down. We try to do right, and get hit with everything wrong. Don’t let somebody else’s shortcomings keep you from fully getting to Jesus. Remember, He suffered and had holes in His hands so that He’d be able to use those hands to heal your heart. 

Today, I’d suggest that you find something inside of you that you need to lay at His feet. Everybody has something (and if you don’t think you do, you may need to make sure it’s not pride). So may times, we’ll get one or two areas together, and convince ourselves that we’re all fixed up. That’s definitely….not the truth. As long as you’re on this earth, there’s a hole that Jesus wants to fill in you, and use for His glory. There’s something He wants to improve or maybe even replace. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or sad about. Nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s got it all together. We are not Christians because we’re perfect; we’re Christians because we’ve surrendered to being ever spinning vessels on The Potter’s wheel. Take a moment, put yourself aside, and watch God use your holes to make you whole. 

Background music: Whole - Jonathan McReynolds (feat. India.Arie) & Healing Oil - Kim Walker-Smith

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