My Cup Overflows

11 minutes ago
3 min read

I’ve been in church life for over a decade, and I’ve often heard people say, “My cup runneth over.” I’ve seen it in Psalm 23, heard it in sermons, and seen it quoted everywhere. But while writing this devotional, I had to pause and ask myself: does my cup really run over? And if it does, how would I know? Honestly, we only know through Scripture.

Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” The truth is, I do want a lot of things—a new camera, a new home, a new vehicle, and the list goes on. But the deeper truth is this: I am not in need. I already live in abundance. So much so that every few months I find myself decluttering my home because of all the “wants” I’ve accumulated.

Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside still waters.” I can personally say that God has led me to still waters during a deep season of grief. The couch became my resting place, and one day through prayer, something shifted. The winds of grief didn’t disappear instantly, but they grew still. The pain didn’t vanish, but it became bearable. These are honest questions we should all be willing to ask ourselves: Am I being guided by God? Do I sense stillness in my life? Do I carry His peace?

Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Can we look at our lives and see where God has restored our joy, our relationships, our hope, our dreams, and our confidence? Personally, I’ve watched God restore my relationship with my mother. I was an unruly teen and carried a lot of unforgiveness toward her, but over time those old feelings faded, and I now see her through eyes of love. You can ask yourself: Do I feel His prompting to do what is right? Do I feel conviction when I drift off course?

Psalm 23:4 says, “Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Do we recognize that death will one day come for us all, yet Jesus has already conquered it? Because of that, we can live in peace—knowing there is truly nothing to fear. Jesus is with us in life, in death, and beyond.

Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” Have you experienced God’s blessing in your life—even when you didn’t feel qualified or worthy of it? That table represents the blessing and favor of God, and no enemy has the power to take it away from you. They cannot touch what God has prepared for you.

So now the question is simple: is your cup overflowing? Are you truly living out Scripture in faith? Are you recognizing God’s hand in your life?

Because when your cup runs over, you don’t just see blessings…you see goodness and mercy following you. And you find yourself wanting to dwell with the Lord, not drift away from Him. Old ways lose their pull when His presence becomes your portion.

I pray that your cup runs over.

Reflection:

What if the “overflow” you’re looking for isn’t more things, but a deeper awareness of what God has already placed in your hands? And if your cup feels empty, what would change if you measured your life by His presence instead of your possessions?

Weekly Scripture