Conclusion ("Emptying")

Conclusion

 

 

 

Now, as we bring this book to a close, I would like to return to the questions we asked at the beginning: “What must I empty out?”  And, “What must I fill the emptied space with?” These two questions have run throughout this entire book. 

 

We first examined the difference between “letting go” and “emptying.”  If letting go means releasing what I am holding in my hands, the emptying spoken of in this book goes deeper. It means emptying from the center of my heart the desire to be the master.  It means emptying the desire to live with my thoughts, my desires, my will, my pride, and my name at the center, and surrendering that place to Christ.  Therefore, emptying is not simply a life of giving something up.  It is a life of emptying the desire to be the master and receiving Christ as the Lord of my life.

 

Jesus Christ First Emptied Himself

 

The reason we can speak of emptying is that Jesus Christ first walked the path of self-emptying.  Philippians 2:7 says that Jesus “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Jesus’ self-emptying did not mean that He gave up His divinity.  Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself, took the form of a servant, and came among us. And He obeyed the will of the Father to the point of death on the cross.  In Christ’s emptying there was humility.  There was obedience.  There was love.  There was service.  And there was the cross.  Therefore, the emptying we speak of is not merely self-discipline or an exercise in emptying the mind.  It is the path of discipleship in which we look to Jesus Christ, who emptied Himself for us, embrace His mind, and follow Him.  We were not the first to empty ourselves.  Christ first gave Himself for us.  We were not the first to love.  Christ first loved us.  Therefore, our emptying must also begin with the grace of Christ.

 

Emptying Is Not for Condemning Ourselves

 

In this book, we have examined various forms of sin within us.  Before the Word, we examined one by one pride, greed, hypocrisy, falsehood, hatred, evil thoughts, sexual immorality, resentment, and envy.  At times, these words may have pierced our hearts painfully.  “There is this kind of pride in me too.”  “I have been relying on money more than on God.”  “The person I show to others has been different from who I really am.”  “There is still someone I hate and have not forgiven.”  “Why have I lived with so much resentment and comparison?”  But the purpose of examining these sins was not to drive us to despair or condemn us.  It was to look honestly at ourselves in the mirror of Scripture.  It was to bring before God what we had been hiding.  And it was to acknowledge that we cannot change ourselves by our own strength and to look again to the cross.  Emptying does not begin with the resolution, “Now I must become a better person.” Rather, it begins with the confession, “Lord, I cannot do this in my own strength.”  I cannot completely remove the pride within me by my own strength.  I cannot cleanse my greed by willpower alone.  I cannot erase long-standing hatred and wounds simply by making a decision.  The same is true of resentment and envy.  That is why we need grace.  We need the cross.  We need the help of the Holy Spirit.  Emptying is not the work of cleansing ourselves by our own strength. It is the act of honestly surrendering ourselves before the grace of God.

 

The Purpose of Emptying Is to Be Filled with Christ

 

But we must not stop after emptying.  As we conclude this book, there is one truth we must hold onto most clearly: the purpose of emptying is not to become an empty person, but to become a person filled with Christ.  Our goal is not merely to become people who sin less. Nor does it end with becoming people who are not proud.  The goal of faith is not merely to become a person without greed, a person who does not become angry, or a person who does not envy.  In that emptied place, the character of Christ must appear.  Where pride has been emptied, the humility of Christ must appear.  Where greed has been emptied, contentment and generosity must appear.  Where hypocrisy and falsehood have been emptied, sincerity and truthfulness must appear.  Where hatred has been emptied, love and forgiveness must appear.  Where evil thoughts and sexual immorality have been emptied, purity and holiness must appear.  Where resentment and envy have been emptied, faith, gratitude, and love must appear.  But if all of this is expressed in one sentence, it ultimately comes down to one thing: Christ is revealed in us.  The apostle Paul confessed in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  This is the direction in which our emptying must lead.  It does not mean that I cease to exist. It means that the center of my life changes.  My life changes from one in which I live as the master to one in which Christ is the Lord. It is a life that seeks God’s will rather than my own, rejoices to see the name of Jesus revealed rather than my own name, and looks to the interests of others with the mind of Christ rather than seeking only my own interests.

 

A Life Filled with Christ Is Revealed Through Service

 

Emptying is not something that takes place only within the heart.  Fruit appears in the life of a person filled with Christ. One of those fruits is service.  Jesus emptied Himself and took the form of a servant. And He washed His disciples’ feet.  Therefore, a person filled with the mind of Christ serves others rather than seeking to display oneself.  Instead of asking, “Why does no one recognize me?” that person asks, “Whom can I serve today?”  Instead of thinking, “What can I receive?” that person thinks, “What can I share?”  That service must begin in the place closest to us.  Reveal Christ in your home.  Listen to your spouse.  Apologize when you are wrong.  Do not teach faith to your children only with words; show them parents who repent, forgive, and serve.  Reveal Christ in the church as well.  Instead of seeking a position, look for a place to serve. Do what is needed even when no one recognizes you.  Reveal Christ in the workplace.  Work honestly.  Do not seek only your own interests.  Do not take advantage of the weak; respect them.  Rejoice with others in their success.  Emptying is revealed through service.  A heart filled with Christ ultimately flows into a life of love and service.

 

Emptying Is a Path We Walk Every Day

 

But we cannot empty everything through a single decision.  Emptying pride today does not mean we will never become proud again tomorrow.  Repenting of greed today does not mean desire will never arise again.  Forgiving someone today does not mean the wound will never come to mind again.  Giving thanks today does not mean we will never complain tomorrow.  Therefore, emptying is not something completed by a single decision.  It is the path of discipleship in which we follow Christ every day.  Every day, we must examine our hearts before the Word: “Lord, what must I empty out of myself today?”  And at the same time, we must ask: “Lord, what must I fill that place with?”  When pride rises again, empty it.  When greed takes hold of your heart again, empty it.  When hatred rises again, bring it before God.  When resentment arises, remember the grace of God.  When envy arises, turn your gaze from people to God.  And fill that empty place with Christ again.  Fill it with the Word.  Come before God in prayer.  Seek the help of the Holy Spirit.  Embrace the mind of Christ.  And love, forgive, and serve.  This is the path of faith that must be repeated in our lives every day.

 

We Stand Again Before Two Questions

 

Now, as you close this book, stand once again before the two questions we asked at the beginning: “What must I empty out?”  What pride am I still holding onto?  What am I relying on more than God?  Am I wearing any mask in order to be seen by others in a certain way?  Am I hiding or distorting the truth?  Is there still someone I hate and cannot forgive?  Are there evil thoughts that I repeatedly nurture in my heart?  Has my heart been captivated by wrongful desires?  Are there areas in which I am resentful and failing to trust God?  Am I comparing myself with others and envying them?  Then ask the second question: “What am I filled with?”  Is my heart filled with the Word of Christ?  Is the humility of Christ being revealed in me?  Is the love of Christ being revealed in me?  Are the truthfulness and holiness of Christ being revealed in me?  Are gratitude and faith growing within me?  Am I serving people with the mind of Christ?  Above all, who is the Lord of my life right now?  As you stand before these questions, do not think about someone else.  Do not think about your spouse.  Do not think about your children.  Do not think about another member of the church.  First, place yourself before God.  And pray: “Lord, examine my heart again today. Show me the desire within me to be the master.  Help me empty what must be emptied and bring it honestly before You without hiding it.  Rather than trying to change myself by my own strength, help me hold onto the grace of the cross and seek the help of the Holy Spirit.  And fill my emptied heart with Christ.  Let the Word of Christ dwell richly within me, and let the humility, love, truthfulness, and holiness of Christ be revealed in my life.  In my home, in the church, in the workplace, and before the people I meet, help me reveal Christ rather than myself.  Let me rejoice more in Christ being revealed than in myself being exalted.  Let me live a life in which it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

 

Emptying is not about erasing myself. It is about emptying the desire to be the master.  Emptying is not simply giving things up. It is surrendering the center of my life to Christ.  Emptying is not about becoming an empty person. It is about becoming a person increasingly filled with Christ.  And a life filled with Christ is revealed through love and service.  Therefore, empty yourself again today.  And fill yourself with Christ.  Let the name of Christ be revealed rather than your own name.  Seek God’s will rather than your own.  Instead of seeking only your own interests, serve your neighbor with the mind of Christ.  Let yourself decrease so that Christ may be revealed more and more.  And live each day with this confession: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  Empty yourself, and be filled with Christ.  This is the path of “emptying” that we must walk every day as disciples of Jesus Christ.