Today’s Truth

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14 NIV).

 

Friend to Friend

Do you remember the first Rocky movie? (I just looked it up and there have been eight.) In the very first film about the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa falls madly in love with the very demure Adrian who works at a Tropical Fish pet store. Adrian is very intelligent, shy, and cautious. Rocky is, well, none of those things. In one scene, Adrian’s brother, Paulie, asked Rocky what he sees in his sister. Rocky answers, “She’s got gaps, I got gaps. Together we fill gaps.”

But Rocky got it all wrong. Adrian’s got gaps. He’s got gaps. And no person is going to fill those gaps.

Let me put it this way. I’ve got gaps. You’ve got gaps. And no person is going to fill those gaps. God is the only one Who can. I’d go so far as to say that He is the One who gave us those gaps so that He can fill them. He is the great I AM who fills our gaps and fills in our blanks.

In Exodus 3, Moses asked God to tell him His name. God replied, “I AM.”

When we say, “I’m not good enough.”

God says, “I AM.”

When we say, “I’m not smart enough.”

God says, “I AM.”

When we say, “I’m not strong enough.”

God says, “I AM.”

When we say, “I’m not ________ enough.”

God says, “I AM.”

He is the God who fills in our gaps. He is the God who fills in our blanks. When I feel that I am not enough, God says, “I AM.”

I’ve often heard it said there is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, that cannot be filled by another created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote: “[God] said to me . . . for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9 AMPC).

Paul knew what he could accomplish on his own: nothing. Oh, he could be busy. We all can do that. But bearing “fruit that will remain” is another story. This is how he viewed his own personal weaknesses:

I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become (2 Cor. 12:7–10, MSG).

Paul had great confidence. The prefix “con” means “with,” and the root “fid” means “faith.” So a confident person is one who walks in faith. When you allow God to fill in your gaps with His power and provision, you will have the confidence and courage to leave the limpid land of in-between and march into the Promised Land of life to the full!

That’s where I want to go today. Where I want to live. How about you? If you’re ready to stop wandering around in the wilderness of indecision and start moving forward to take hold of your Promised Land of life to the full, leave a comment and say, I’m moving forward!

 

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, I have gaps, and I am so thankful that You are the great I AM who fills in those gaps. You fill in my insufficiency with Your all-sufficiency. You fill in my inadequacy with Your all-supply. You fill in my pain with Your healing purpose. Today, I will walk in faith with con-fid-ence.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Now It’s Your Turn

Are you depending on an earthly relationship to fill in your gaps? A husband? A boyfriend? A child? If so, how is that working for you?
What do you need to change in your life to allow God to fill in your gaps rather than other people?

 

More from the Girlfriends

Do the voices in your head tell you that you are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, or just not enough, period? If so, it’s time to stop listening to the lies that sabotage your confidence and replace them with truth. Check out Sharon’s book, Enough: Silencing the Lies that Steal Your Confidence and start believing the truth about who God says you are.

 

 

 

 

Also, check out Sharon’s FREE Quick Reference Guide to 70 common lies and the truth that replaces them.

 

 

© 2023 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.

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22 Responses to “I AM is the God Who Fills in Your Gaps”

  1. Dee says:

    I’m moving forward!

  2. Sarah says:

    Thank you, I am moving forward

  3. Shenae says:

    I’m moving forward!

  4. Susan says:

    I am moving forward. Your question, “Are you depending on human relationships to fill your gaps?”, opened my eyes to the reality that I look to my (now adult) kids to fill my gaps. My oldest daughter is getting married and is not including me in any of the planning. Instead of looking forward to the wedding, I find myself just wanting to get it over with so that I can stop feeling left out, disappointed, and sad. Moving forward for me means replacing my feelings of sadness with gladness. Reminding myself of the good things about my relationship with my daughter, and not the bad. Focusing on the ways God has blessed our relationship over the last few years, rather than still seeing the ways that it is lacking(in my mind)

  5. Tonia says:

    Susan we will both get through this. My son is getting married. He is my only child and has been my world the last 32 years. I just got a divorce as well. So I am dealing a whole new normal. You and I will get through this. We will both move forward.

  6. Sheila says:

    I’m moving forward. Instead of me trying in every possible way to fill in the gaps it’s time to let God fill them in. And I have many gaps.

    Blessed day to everyone

  7. Terra says:

    As I sit beside my dying father reading this devotional this morning, I am thankful He fills in the gaps when we are weak. I am so weak and my heart is so heavy, and concerned for when the rest of my family shows up. Is there going to be wrath?
    Lord you fill in all the gaps. I want to show your love and be strong. Build me up Lord, I need you. When we are weak, sad, fearful. You see all of it. Thank you for this devotional. God knows what we need when we need it.

  8. Karen says:

    Thank you for this word today, Sharon !

    I am Moving Forward!!

    Philippians 3:14-21 In-Context
    13 Brethren, I do not imagine that I have yet laid hold of it. But this one thing I do–forgetting everything which is past and stretching forward to what lies in front of me, 14 with my eyes fixed on the goal I push on to secure the prize of God’s heavenward call in Christ Jesus.

  9. I’m moving forward!

  10. Ngozi says:

    Thank you, I am moving forward confidently with my gaps because the GAP filler is on the throne!

  11. Debbie says:

    I AM MOVING FORWARD!

  12. Carol says:

    Thanks so much Sharon for this!
    I’ve been struggling with discouragement; I’m moving forward.
    Thinking more like Jesus would have thought in terms of knowing the supernatural, power HE received, while here in the human form.
    We, as disciples need this kind of thinking and believing, in our world today!
    Bless you Karen for the reminder of Phil. 3:14-21. I’ll pass mine along, also; Is.41:17-20
    “The poor and the homeless are desperate for water, their tongues parched and no water to be found, I am there for them, and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty…(MSG) {Such a powerful section of Chapter 41}

  13. Teresa Mael says:

    I’m Moving Foreward!

  14. Ann says:

    I am moving forward!

  15. Eva says:

    I am moving forward – Praise God!

  16. Israel says:

    You have blessed and inspired.

    In the middle of a difficult season…thank you.

  17. Brianna says:

    I’m moving forward! I’m having a lot of trouble moving forward especially in my faith and mental health so I’d really appreciate prayers

  18. Petry says:

    I am moving forward…

    God is so intentional.

    Thank you!

  19. Margaret says:

    I am wrestling with depression, anxiety and loneliness living in a retirement home. Please help me to gain insight into His unfailing power to give me peace.

  20. Margaret says:

    Just finished your book Take Hold of the Faith you Long for. I have been in a sad state for the past year and a few months. Long story. A friend read a devotion by Lysa about not circling the hills anymore but go north. That led me to Proverbs 31 Women and a your book. I am moving on. God used your book and another, When You Don’t Like Your Story to work in my heart. Thank you so much for allowing God to use you. My story isn’t finished. God is working. I am so blessed. The pain I have gone through the past year is worth it because it drove me closer to God. He is worthy!

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