I hope that just the title of this makes you sing the song – belt it out in your little head or even out loud.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m sorry. For you. If you haven’t seen The Greatest Showman and don’t know all of the songs by heart, we definitely have a problem. At this point, it’s almost un-American. Just stop reading this and go watch it! It’s at Redbox. You’re welcome.

In all honesty, this song has nothing to do with anything. I just want to talk about this darn movie all the time. Here’s where I make this giant segue leap. Ready?

I’ve been really chewing on the word and the idea of overflow for the past few weeks.

I don’t know what type of things you’re involved in. Maybe it’s ministry, maybe you’re a parent, a student, working hard on your career, just getting through every day… But I would hope I’m not alone in wishing that I would have enough of myself to give to all of the things that I do. But I don’t want to just give “enough”. I want to be great at all of the things that I do. I want to excel.

I want to be the best wife, the best mom, cook the best food, have the cleanest house, work out super hard and have it show, give great advice, lead inspiring groups, sing, talk, write… and on and on and on.

If you find that you have enough hours in your day to give 100% of yourself to everything you see in front of you; please, let’s get coffee, and tell me all of your secrets!

I hear (and say) the term “living in the overflow” pretty frequently. It’s an accurate and biblical concept to seek. We want to be filled up so much with God that everything we do is out of the overflow of what’s already in our hearts.

We want things like hope, love, patience, wisdom, and joy to be so much a part of us that people can’t help but be touched and changed by it simply by being around us.

But what I’ve found in my own life, and see often in yours, is that sometimes we’re reaching into that overflow bucket first. We bypass being filled and jump ahead to where the extra should be. Things can’t overflow if they aren’t filled up first.

They can, however, be spilled.

If I knock over my cup of coffee, (which, let’s be honest, is probably a weekly occurrence for me) it’s gonna spill. Good thing we got hardwood floors, right? But my coffee cup doesn’t have to be full in order to spill. There can be just an inch or so of that fantastic stuff in the bottom of my cup, and without paying attention, it’ll be all over my couch in seconds. Accidentally. Without intention.

Filling up all of the way to overflowing is rarely an accident. We choose to continue to pour in and pour out. Maybe we can scratch the coffee analogy here, because that stuff is liquid gold and should never be poured out anywhere but your mug and then sipped with happiness.

I’ve found in my life that far too often, I’m manufacturing some of these character traits of God in my life. I’m not actually going to the true Source of what I’m hoping people will see overflowing from me.

I want to have wisdom and knowledge and great advice that leads people to Jesus. But if I’m not filled up with His word, I’m tapping into my own opinions and just throwing in some good ideas that sound like they probably came from Him.

I want to love others when they don’t deserve it so they wonder what’s different. Let the difference be Jesus. But if my love isn’t sourced by the One who is love, then I’m spilling my emotions and good intentions haphazardly and I don’t have enough to get through my day. I turn into a hypocrite with the people who live in my house, because I’ve run out, reaching into my overflow bucket first.

All of the things we aspire to have, be, show, and give to others are not just words God throws at us as rules to be a nice person. He never runs out of every good thing because He is every good thing. He is goodness.

Living a life of overflow isn’t really a choice or something we can work for. It’s a result. A result of choosing what we will fill ourselves with in the first place.

What are you hoping to give others? What do you want to overflow out of your life?

Seek to find the truest form of whatever it is from the truest Source.

Stand back and watch as God pours into you living water, and without work or stress, you’re suddenly immersed in it and others are joining in.

“May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father.” 1 Thessalonians 3:11-12 MSG