Sponge Faith

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45(NKJV)

Sponges absorb whatever substance they’re submerged in. So do we.

Our hearts are a lot like sponges. Whatever we immerse ourselves in will eventually pour out of us. Just like a sponge, when squeezed.

If water was absorbed into the sponge, juice won’t be what comes out. It will be water every time. So is the same with your heart, your words, and your faith. If you never sit in the presence of God or never read His Word and drink in His knowledge, when life squeezes you, and it will, what will come out?

When my daughter was in the hospital it was the worst time in my life. I felt like I was drowning and trying to grab hold of anything around me. It was like I couldn’t even breathe.

Nonetheless, through tears and strained whispers, I sang, “God is so good”.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

My whole life I thought I had struggled with anxiety. I guess to an extent I had. But when life squeezed me tighter and more furiously than I had ever been wrung- anxiety is not what came out.

Sure, I was scared. I was terrified, actually. But when I opened my mouth- prayer, praise, and faith came out. When I was squeezed, the Word, life, and anointing poured out. The overflow of my heart was Jesus.

I’m not writing this to ring my own bell. Because honestly, I was surprised with myself. I didn’t even know that strength or faith was rooted that deeply in me. Because until that point, I had never had to use it so much.

I remember my Pastor grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me in the eyes, and very sternly said, “Now this is what you’ve been practicing for your whole life. This is what all that church is for.”

He was so right. Every time I had heard the words, “God is good”, I soaked up a little more. Every time I worshipped even when I didn’t feel like, I grasped at the strength of Heaven and learned how to pull on the power of God.

I used to think I was full of anxiety, until I was squeezed and found out that I was full of faith. I don’t let fear lie to me anymore. It no longer has me convinced that I’m afraid. Because when my whole world fell, I was still held by a good, good Father.

All the promises of God were still true and effective. I’m so thankful that I knew what those promises were. I’m so grateful my parents had invested in my life from the beginning, instilling in me the power of the Almighty, and that He can be trusted.

Now I ask you, what are you absorbing? What is the thing you take in the most on a day to day basis? What is it you think you’re full of?

Because I know personally, I’m guilty of scrolling social media and mindlessly absorbing a whole bunch of nothing that will do me no good when pressure is applied.

Problems aren’t the only thing that squeezes us. People squeeze us when they are need of what we should have. When hurting people around us need to see Jesus, need to see the salt and light in the Earth, we are squeezed. And if we don’t know the Bible, nothing useful will come out.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16(NIV)

It’s important that we have sponge faith. That we soak up the goodness and teaching of God. And that we pour out the gifts and talents of the Spirit. That we have deep-rooted faith to draw on when life gets hard.

Consciously absorb some anointing today. Whether it’s through reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, or listening to a sermon. You never know when you’ll be squeezed- make sure you have goodness to pour out.

Be Blessed!