While in prayer many years ago, I was shown a sponge like this one. And I've seen it many times since. It represents us. You, me, everyone.
Like the sponge, the human person is designed to absorb much of its surroundings. If it's immersed in filth day in and day out, it will eventually become tainted and dirty. However, if it's immersed daily in prayer, in the living water of God (the Holy Spirit), it will eventually become clean, pure, holy.
What's more, when the sponge does its work, it affects whatever it comes in contact with. A tainted, dirty sponge will leave a dirty residue on the dish or the countertop. A sponge filled with clean water will clean the dish or the countertop.
Likewise when the human person goes to work it seems to affect its surroundings in the same way. A dirty mouth, a bitter heart, an angry temper, a judgmental and condescending spirit all seem to "rub off" on the people that come in contact with it. Negativity is contagious.
On the flip side, a person filled with the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) will "rub off" on the environment in a completely different way... bringing not negativity, but positivity.
In fact this soul comes to work with the ability to wipe out and clean up negativity wherever it may be. Think about what power we have, and the ways that we can change the world for good or bad. But it all starts with the soaking.
What do you immerse yourself in every day? Is your day filled only with busyness and things of the world? Are you feeling maxed out and agitated because of it? It's time to soak in prayer then, friend. It's time to bring yourself into the living water of God, into His Word, His power. It's time to enter silence, to sit and be filled. The world around you depends upon it.
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