When you meet an acquaintance and ask how they are doing, do you find that the most common reply is that they have been busy? Do you know anyone who would not claim this as the status of their life? Have you ever made the same statement to others? Does it appear to be an excuse between friends for not maintaining the friendship, or in a more general sense for not doing the important things that matter in life? My word contains an account of Mary and Martha. What do you learn from this? I know you have duties to fulfill. Can you relate to others without saying that you are busy? 

My word refers to vessels, such as vessels of honor or dishonor. This term has fallen out of common use, but you think of it as a container and this is a good analogy. It could also be regarded as a conduit or hose, such as a garden hose. Have you ever used a garden hose to water plants? Do you see yourself in the same way? I spoke of living water flowing out of you. Do you understand yourself as a vessel not as a static, autonomous container of living water but as a channel of flow? It is good to understand this as symbolic of Christian doctrine. It is even better to walk in a conscious awareness that living water flows from you wherever you go. 

What word do you normally associate with midlife? Isn’t ‘crisis’ the term that usually follows, and this is the only thing commonly associated with this stage of life? This is a negative view of a growth opportunity. Most of the parameters and conditions of your life were given to you up to this point, and early stage life is characterized by conformity to expectations. If these are not expressions of your own unique identity they will fail. You can view this as a crisis, or you can see it as an opportunity to become who you really are, and live a life consistent with your own true destiny. Walk through this with me and it will be a life-giving transition. 

Do you like to have fun all the time? Do you feel guilt, shame, and regret for your sins? These responses are typical of new believers. Mature believers move on to experience godly sorrow. Guilt, shame, and regret are static and unhelpful. They look to the past with condemnation and paralysis. Godly sorrow is a way to view things in your past that were hindrances. You can’t change events that have taken place, but they don’t have to give you a burden of condemnation. Godly sorrow allows you to acknowledge your past from a perspective of redemption and look to the future with hope. Not everything is fun, but even things that are not fun can be useful.