Theme: Recognizing God’s Hand in Your Past Experiences

Some of the greatest growth in our lives comes not from ease, but from challenges. The difficult seasons we face often prepare us for the purpose God has designed for us. Romans 8:28 reminds us of this unshakable truth:

📖 Scripture:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28

Even when we don’t understand why we’re going through certain struggles, we can rest in the promise that God is working behind the scenes, using every challenge for our ultimate good.

A Personal Reflection

Think about a difficult season in your life—a time of loss, rejection, or uncertainty. In the moment, it may have felt painful or confusing. But looking back, can you see how that season strengthened you, taught you, or led you to a better path?

Maybe a career setback redirected you to something more fulfilling. Maybe a broken relationship pushed you toward healing and self-discovery. Maybe a hardship deepened your faith and dependence on God.

God doesn’t waste our struggles. He transforms them into stepping stones toward our purpose.

Prayer

“God, thank You for using even the hard times to prepare me for growth. Teach me to see challenges as opportunities, knowing that You are always at work. Help me to trust that You will bring good out of every season of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Reflection Prompt

📝 How has a difficult season prepared you for where you are now? What did you learn from it? How did it shape your character, faith, or perspective?

Practice to Nurture

🌱 Share your testimony with someone who may be going through a similar situation. Your words of encouragement could be exactly what they need to hear. Sometimes, our healing comes when we help others heal.

👠 Crocs to Stilettos Connection

Identify a challenging season in your life that helped shape your identity and purpose. Just like Crocs to Stilettos explores overcoming obstacles, think about how your own struggles became the foundation for your personal transformation.

Your challenges don’t define you—God’s purpose does. Trust Him. He is turning your struggles into strength. 💖👠✨

Feel free to use the comments section to share your reflection prompt.

Love,
Evelyn Oratschilde

Scripture References: John 4:13-14, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Matthew 22:37-39

Introduction

We are all familiar with the concept of being filled emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. Just like a physical cup holds water, our hearts hold love. But today, I want to ask you a profound question: Who feeds into your love cup? Is it God? Is it people? Is it worldly desires? Understanding who or what fills your love cup is essential because what fills you will determine how you overflow.

Point 1: The Source of True Love

Scripture: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

• Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of love that never runs dry.
• Many people rely on others to fill their love cup—relationships, achievements, or material things—but these sources are temporary and insufficient.
• When God fills your cup, He provides an unending well of love, peace, and joy. Without His living water, we constantly find ourselves running on empty.

Reflection: Are you seeking fulfillment in temporary things, or is Jesus your source?

Fill Your Cup with God’s Love First

Scripture: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)

• The commandment to love others comes second to loving God. Why? Because we cannot love others well unless we first receive God’s perfect love.
• Loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind positions you to be filled by Him daily. Prayer, worship, and studying His Word are essential practices that fill your cup.
• When you prioritize God, you learn to love yourself the way He loves you, enabling you to love others from a place of fullness rather than emptiness.

Reflection: Is God the first and primary source of your love, or are you relying on others to meet needs that only He can fulfill?

Point 2: What Are You Pouring Out?

Scripture: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

• The state of your love cup determines what you pour out into others.
• When you are filled with God’s love, you overflow patience, kindness, forgiveness, and selflessness.
• However, if your love cup is filled with bitterness, unmet expectations, or the wrong influences, you’ll pour out hurt, resentment, or selfishness.

Reflection: What are you pouring out into your family, friends, and community?

Scripture: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Whatever fills your cup determines what you pour out to others. If your love cup is filled with God’s love, you will naturally overflow with patience, kindness, forgiveness, and grace. However, if your cup is filled with bitterness, selfishness, or pride, that is what you will pour out into your relationships.

Reflect on the relationships in your life—do your words and actions reflect the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), or are they evidence of unresolved pain or unhealthy influences?

Reflection: Is the love you pour out reflective of the love God has poured into you?

Point 3: Loving God and Loving Others

Scripture: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

• To ensure your love cup is filled, prioritize your relationship with God. Spend time in prayer, His Word, and worship.
• When God fills your cup, it empowers you to love others genuinely, even when it’s hard.
• Loving others is a reflection of God’s love in us. We are called to love our neighbors, not out of obligation but from an overflow of God’s love.

Reflection: Is your relationship with God feeding your ability to love others?

Point 4: Protecting Your Love Cup

Be Careful Who Fills Your Cup

Scripture: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

• Be mindful of what or who you allow to feed your love cup. Not everything that pours into you is healthy or Godly.
• Toxic relationships, negative influences, and worldly distractions can pollute your love cup.
• Guard your heart by aligning your thoughts, desires, and actions with God’s Word.

Scripture: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Reflection: Are you letting toxic influences contaminate your love cup?

• Who you allow to speak into your life has a profound impact on your emotional and spiritual well-being.
• Surround yourself with people who point you toward God, encourage you in love, and challenge you to grow. Be cautious of those who drain you or fill your cup with negativity, fear, or temptation.
• Relationships are designed to edify and uplift. Make sure the people feeding into your love cup align with God’s Word and His plan for your life.

Reflection: Are you intentional about the voices you allow into your life?

Point 5: Overflowing Love Transforms Lives

Scripture: “My cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

• When God fills your love cup, it overflows into every area of your life—your relationships, ministry, work, thoughts, desires, plans, and personal growth.
• An overflowing cup doesn’t just benefit you; it blesses those around you. People will notice the joy, peace, and love that radiates from your life and be drawn to the source of that overflow—Jesus Christ.
• Your overflow can inspire others to seek the One who fills you. It is a powerful testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness.

Reflection: Is your love cup overflowing, or are you running on empty?

Conclusion: Let God Be Your Filler

Your love cup is precious, and it needs to be filled daily by the right source. Stop relying on fleeting things or imperfect people to meet your deepest needs. Seek God first, allow Him to pour His perfect love into you, and let His love overflow into the lives of those around you.

Who or what feeds into your love cup is a decision only you can make. If you depend on people or things of this world, your cup will eventually run dry. But when God is your source, He fills you with an eternal supply of love that overflows to those around you.

Prayer:
“Lord, we thank You for being the source of unending love. Teach us to come to You daily to fill our hearts with Your presence. Help us to discern the influences in our lives and ensure that we are filled by Your Spirit. May our love cups overflow with patience, kindness, and grace, bringing glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Challenge: This week, ask yourself these three questions and journal about your experience:

1. What am I relying on to fill my love cup?
2. How is what I’m receiving influencing what I pour out?
3. What steps can I take to let God be the primary source of my love?

Let God’s love be the overflow in your life, and you will find true peace, joy, and fulfillment.

As you reflect on these questions, take intentional steps to align your heart with God. Prioritize prayer, immerse yourself in His Word, and seek His presence daily. Let His perfect love fill every empty space, heal every wound, and empower you to love others with the same grace and compassion He has shown you.

Remember, when God is the primary source of your love, your life becomes a reflection of His glory, and your relationships are transformed by His goodness.

This week, choose to let God fill your love cup—let it overflow and bless those around you.

Main Scripture: Malachi 3:2-3

NKJV

“But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
³ He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And ^[a]purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.

NLT

² “But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. ³ He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.

Introduction:

1. The Role of a Refiner:

A refiner removes impurities from precious metals like gold and silver through fire, bringing out their purest form. Likewise, God is the ultimate Refiner, working to remove impurities from our lives to make us vessels of honor for His glory.

2. Purpose of Refining:

• To purify us and make us more like Christ.
• To enable us to offer our lives in righteousness and holiness to Go

Key Points:

1. The Refiner’s Fire – A Process of Purification

Fire is Intense: Just as the refining process requires high temperatures, God allows trials and challenges to bring out the best in us (1 Peter 1:6-7).

The Purpose of Fire: The fire does not destroy but purifies, removing impurities like pride, selfishness, and sin (Isaiah 48:10).

God’s Faithful Presence: The refiner sits beside the fire, ensuring it doesn’t harm the precious metal. Similarly, God never leaves us in our trials (Deuteronomy 31:6).

2. The Refiner’s Tools – God’s Word and Spirit

God’s Word as Soap: The launderer’s soap cleanses, symbolizing the Word of God that washes away sin and renews us (Ephesians 5:26).

The Spirit’s Conviction: The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and leads us into truth, transforming our hearts (John 16:8).

3. The Refiner’s Purpose – Holiness and Righteousness

Vessels for Honor: God refines us so we can serve Him effectively, bringing glory to His name (2 Timothy 2:21).

Reflecting Christ’s Image: Just as a refiner knows the process is complete when he sees his reflection in the metal, God desires us to reflect the image of Christ in our lives (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Prepared for Eternity: The refining process prepares us for eternal glory (Romans 8:18).

Practical Applications:

1. Embrace the Process:

Trust God in difficult seasons, knowing that He is refining and shaping you for His purpose (James 1:2-4).

2. Submit to His Word and Spirit:

Allow God’s Word and Spirit to cleanse and transform you daily. Be open to correction and discipline, as these are signs of His refining work (Hebrews 12:10-11).

3. Reflect God’s Glory:

Let your life testify of God’s transforming power. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1-2).

Conclusion:

God is the Refiner, and He desires to make us pure and holy, ready for His use. Though the process may be uncomfortable, it is necessary for us to become vessels that reflect His glory. Trust Him, submit to His work, and allow Him to transform you into the image of Christ.

Closing Prayer:
“Lord, we thank You for being our Refiner. Though the fire may be painful, we trust that You are purifying us to reflect Your glory. Help us to submit to Your refining process, knowing that You are with us every step of the way. Purify our hearts, O God, and make us vessels of honor for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”