DAY 18 — Flooded with God Himself

It happened in the middle of graduate school. A toddler hugged my knees as I rushed to finish packing for a trip. The dishwasher was loaded, but I had no detergent left. “No problem,” I thought, squeezing Dawn dish soap into the compartment.

Minutes later, my duplex kitchen was a foamy disaster. Bubbles poured out of the dishwasher, flooding the floor. Lesson learned: not everything you pour in will produce the right kind of growth.

Thirst-Quenching Essential #5: Growth.

We all have a deep need to improve, develop, and move forward emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Scripture affirms it:

“The righteous flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon… They still bear fruit in old age” —Psalm 92:12–14 ESV

Growth isn’t just for the young; it’s a lifelong calling. But when we try to satisfy this need apart from Jesus, the results get messy.

Take my daughter. Her closet used to be lined with ribbons and medals from years of competitive running. She was good—good enough for scholarships and university recognition. But even in those shining moments, we reminded her: one day the medals stop. The races end. No one at your future job will care what you ran in college. If her worth was built on her medals, her growth would collapse when the ribbons came down.

We all face the same temptation. We try to fill our longing for growth with degrees, accolades, titles, possessions, or the right associations. But no achievement or credential can ever settle the need. Without Jesus, the pursuit of growth leaves us always needing more, never satisfied.

Real growth isn’t about medals or milestones—it’s about being filled with the fullness of God.

Paul prayed that believers would know Christ’s love and be filled with His fullness—not with empty accolades, but with God Himself. That’s the kind of growth that satisfies and endures.

Drink Deep

Where are you chasing growth outside of Christ—through performance, possessions, or approval? Lay it before Him today, and ask to be filled with His fullness instead of bubbles that won’t last.