Overflow.

At church a few Sunday’s ago, our pastor made an illustration about how when God pours blessings on us, we start to overflow and so we go and grab a bigger bucket so we can receive more blessings. We gotta keep it all in. We keep exchanging the bin for a larger one so we can fit more and more in. We are so excited that God is pouring the blessings down on us and we upgrade to bigger vessels continually so that we can contain it all.

But God is wondering when we will allow His overflow to…. Overflow. Why can’t we just keep the small bucket to hold all the blessings in and let the overflow spill out to everyone around us? When will be be okay with everything He has given us and choose to let the overflow affect and bless everyone we get in contact with?

It hit me hard and my husband and I discussed how we want to live more generously. How we want to trust God with so much overflow so that we can pour into others without holding back. That we want to trust in His provision, His faithfulness and His hand over our lives that we are’t concerned with hoarding any of it, but that we let it spill over to everyone around us. I think of the Israelites in the Bible and how God provided them with enough manna for that day with no leftovers that would be needed for the next time (though they tried to save it, it would be gross by the next day.) God gives us everything we need and He does want to overflow in our lives. But not for us to glutten for more for ourselves but for us to pour more into others.

What are we worried about? Running out? Running short? He has SO MUCH for us, friends. Let it go beyond you. I wanted to live this out. Truly live a life full of reckless generosity. Have faith to trust God no matter the circumstances and believing that God WILL overflow in our lives.

That same weekend, I had to make a hard decision to let go of a contract I had almost locked in for a huge chunk of money I would receive for my work. For many reasons, it wasn’t wise nor a good use of my time or did it value my work. It was hard to let go but I knew God would be faithful and believed we would make up for that financial loss.

And then I heard that word on His overflow at church that Sunday. When we are faithful with the little, God is faithful with the big. And this overflow word was based off of how God wants to endlessly pour into us and he needs to see that obedience from us, and in our tithe. I’ve been tithing by entire life so it’s second nature to me and hubby and we purpose to give God His 10%, no questions asked every single month. I’ve seen Him show up and show off again and again and I’ve seen his faithfulness because of our faithfulness in tithing.

The next day after church (Monday), barely 24 hours after hearing this message, I got word that the same contract I had to cancel for work got restructured but now, I’d be making over 4 TIMES the amount I was previously going to make. You can’t tell me that isn’t God! Look at that OVERFLOW!

His faithfulness. His goodness. That desire to GIVE. This is obviously in monetary standards and God can bless you in SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. And money in the hands of good people can do good things. And I want to do good for God. I love seeing His hands at work.

I encourage you to ask for that overflow in your life. In whatever capacity you might need it in. Be faithful in your tithe and expect God to bring the overflow. And in that, be ready to share it. Don’t go get a larger bucket to hold it all in. Let it pour out to others around you.