Filling in Holes.....

I can't believe its been a month since I have blogged.....honestly, I knew life would happen and there would be moments when I just wouldn't have time to put my thoughts into words. This past month has been a series of those moments, because my thoughts have been on my sweet daughter's high school graduation, bringing us much joy with a tiny bit of sadness....But I will say, she is so ready for the next season of her life, and for that, I am forever grateful.

Do you ever have one of those moments in conversation with someone and they say something so profound you chew on it for days? That recently happened to me as I caught up over the phone with a dear "old" friend. She shared with me that she was feeling as if she was coming out of a fog. A fog that she said lasted 10 years. Over those 10 years she has been through a lot, dealing with her own pain and in her words, she was just filling in holes..... FILLING IN HOLES..... wow.....that was profound to me. I began to see how I have done that over the years, not meaning to, unaware I was, but none the less, filling in holes. Holes that only can be filled by my heavenly Father. Holes that he is aware of, as the creator of my heart. Every place of my heart, He wants to fill. What or who we fill those holes with can vary from person to person. But we all search for that "one thing" that will bring us complete happiness, fulfillment and peace. It does not exsist in anyone or anything other than our Lord. Even as believers, we can find ourselves trying to fill a hole with something other than Him. But we have a High Priest who can meet us in our time of need, our time of trying to fill an empty space in our hearts. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Some of the things we use to fill holes, can take root or begin to rot. Those things have to be dug out and removed. It is painful, unpleasant, and humbling but necessary.

The next thing my friend said was more profound than the first.... she shared she had been keeping the surface appearing smooth, and in doing so she was unaware of the things she was filling her holes with, were not healthy. She worked very hard at making others (and herself) believe everything was smooth in her life.

KEEP THE SURFACE APPEARING SMOOTH......she wasn't aware of it when she was in the middle of it, but now looking back, she can see it. As long as we believe the lie that these "things" fill us up, we never fully deal with what is truly going on below the surface. And as long as we keep others at surface level, we don't enjoy the blessing of true fellowship.

My friend is one of the strongest women I know, my prayer for her as the fog continues to clear, is she will allow herself to embrace the Love, Forgiveness, and Grace of her heavenly Father,  forgiving herself, allowing him to dig up anything in her heart that has taken his place and replace it with Him. I pray this for myself, I encourage everyone to do this....none of us are immune to "filling in holes" or "keeping the surface appearing smooth..."

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24