I AM is the God Who Fills in Your Gaps

Sharon JaynesConfidence in Christ, Enough, Identity in Christ, Knowing God, Relationships 74 Comments

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!

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.

 

Enough by Sharon JaynesDo 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 my book, Enough: Silencing the Lies that Steal Your Confidence and start believing the truth about who God says you are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2023 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.

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Comments 74

    1. I began a mental health journey about this time last year that took six months of my life and turned it upside down. It shook me to my core. It was exactly where God wanted me. Totally dependent on Him and His vast resources. 2023 will be the next leg of that journey applying what I learned in 2022. I’m moving forward one step at a time.

      Reply

  6. From God’s mouth through your hands of writing – thank you, Sharon. I have been praying about my word for the year – you just gave it to me – confidence. As I enter my second semester of grad school, I need that!

    Thank you!

    Reply

  8. Thank you for this devotion this morning it is exactly what I needed. It felt like one of my good friends sent it to me knowing I needed to hear it. I am pretty sure I know the good friend’s name, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus for sending this love note to me today through Sharon.

    Reply

  11. Being over my head in the work God had given me to do, I often reminded Him that my competence comes from Him. It took the pressure off of me and placed it on His capable shoulders.
    “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5
    Phew! 😊

    Reply

    1. This devotion blessed me today. I was experiencing something happening in my life that I couldn’t identify. I prayed for an answer. Sharon, God used you to explain my gap. Thank you for be a servant of Jesus Christ. I have moved forward.

      Reply

  14. Moving forward is a daily step I try to make every day of my life. Each step brings me closer to my Creator and Sustainer.
    Thank you for your words of encouragement.

    Reply

  16. I. Must. Move. Forward. I am being haunted by my past. I know that my past doesn’t define me, however, I am struggling and am asking for prayers please and Thank You Sisters in Christ.

    Reply

    1. The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng: Psalm 68:11
      I am moving forward….
      For Lisa, our past doesn’t define us praise God! Dear Awesome, magnificent Father in Heaven, send your Holy Spirit to Lisa and fill her to over flowing that You will overflow through her life to everyone she comes in contact with. Use those failures from our past to help transform others who go through those very things. In Jesus mighty name! Amen

      Reply

  29. Thank you for that Word from God! I had a dream this morning about someone having a gap between their teeth. It really stuck out to me. I was searching out the meaning but let it go after awhile. I stumbled upon this writing and it really spoke to me ! Thank you so much!

    Reply

  34. YES!! 🙌 I am moving forward – 2023 is the year for all of us to have the last years redeemed! Thanks always Sharon!

    Reply

  36. I know who I am in Christ Jesus. My identity is in him. Not in a marriage, not in a spouse, not in anyone, or thing. Jesus equips and enables us. Jesus feels my vacuum, feels my gap. I am moving on! My future is bright! All honor and Glory to God the Father, and to Jesus Christ!

    Reply

  44. I am moving forward and getting ready to enter the Promised Land whether crawling, walking, running, dancing, jumping, leaping or climbing. This post meant so much Sharon. You will never know how your words intersected with what God has been doing in my heart over the last year, the last month and even the last few days. It was like he had you write the words that are literally pulling all the pieces together. Thank you.

    Reply

  52. I’m moving forward in this new year, new beginnings. I’m living in expectancy in what God will do and what doors He will open. Thank you Sharon for this devotion.

    Reply

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