Is Your Glass Half Empty or Half Full? Think Again!

So here’s the perennial question:  Is the glass half empty or half full?

You know the standard answers that supposedly determine whether you’re a pessimist or an optimist.  But pessimism and optimism are both over-rated and unrealistic because they don’t see the whole picture.  In fact they ignore part of the picture.

To the wise and perceptive, the glass is actually FULL. There is some water (which is obvious).  The rest of the glass is filled with air.  Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

We need the air just as much as we need the water. Both are vital.

How many times in your life have you judged yourself, another person or a situation based only on what you see?

It happens every day, moment by moment, when we only use the five physical senses.

How often do you “see” or understand the whole picture?  This happens only when we use our spiritual senses, our spiritual eyes, ears, etc.

Seeing things from a spiritual perspective

What a different view we see when we look at things from a spiritual perspective.

Jesus addresses this point when he tells his disciples, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement.”  (John 7:24)

Here’s an example.  About 15 years ago at a church business meeting, there was a very divisive issue on the floor for discussion.  People on each side were entrenched in what they thought was right and were absolutely certain the other side was deceived and deceiving.  I’m not going to bother you with the details, but I went home that night fuming.

I was mad at certain members because they were on the “wrong” side of the issue.  But I was also upset at having reacted and come across so opinionated myself.  And more than anything, I was deeply disappointed that neither side was really listening to and hearing the other side’s perspective.  I was just as guilty as the others.

Anyway, I got home and all I could see was what appeared wrong.  It seemed that the glass was not only half empty;  it was completely empty.  But I was looking at things from a very limited, very personal, very material, very selfish perspective.

It was hard to pray about this at first, but as I earnestly turned to God for help, I began to see that the glass was not totally empty as seemed so obvious to outward appearance.  This was a gradual process over days and weeks of repentance and prayer.  I finally came to “see” the glass was totally full–even though nothing had changed on the surface picture at church.  I saw that God was governing our church over and above whatever we did or didn’t do.

I found my own peace about the situation.  And eventually the issue faded and was resolved harmoniously.

Not enough…

Have you ever had an experience where it seemed like your glass was half full/half empty.  There wasn’t enough time, money, energy, love, cooperation, etc, to do what needed to be done?  Sure, you’re grateful for whatever you do have, but it really doesn’t seem to be enough to meet the demands of the situation.

Well it’s time to open your spiritual eyes, to spiritualize your view, to see the unseen.  There’s more in the glass than you thought.

God’s love and care, His guidance and protection, His glory and grace are always there filling the glass (our lives) to the fullest.  It’s easy to see this when things are going well.  But do we see it when our glass seems not only empty but as dry as the Sahara Desert?  The good news is that our glass is full whether we see it or not.

Jesus proved this.  In fact, Paul writes, “For in him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9)  Jesus was the embodiment of God’s full glory.

But that was Jesus.  What about us?

Paul saw that we too have access to this fulness of God.  He prays for the Ephesians (and us) that we may be able “to know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge [knowledge gained from the five material senses.  There’s that outward appearance of things again.], that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:19)

Think of that, to be filled with ALL the FULNESS of GOD.

But it’s crucial here to see the context of this verse from Ephesians: