I heard the phrase “Die Empty” from Todd Henry about two weeks ago at the Accidental Creative Podcast.  It is one of his mantras.  I love it, so I am going to steal it.

We waste away when good desires lay inside of us and do not get out.  The world is full of authors who do not write, screenwriters who never craft a scene, actors who never audition, entrepreneurs who never start a business,  preachers who don’t preach.  And when we don’t begin we leave the power of the desire to poison our souls.

With this phrase in mind I have been meditating on Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:20-21:

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

This is a beautiful phrase, but a completely surprising line of reasoning — that God is able to work abundantly through the power IN us.  Not outside of us.  But power within us.  Is God’s power for good in this world accomplished by getting the good things inside of us outside of us?  And when what is inside of us gets created is that is when God does immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine?

But what if that power within us never gets released?

Have you ever thought there would be a better way to run your office, or engage your industry?  But if you don’t speak up or take the risk to begin something, what becomes of that power within you?  It would seem that you won’t see God do breathtaking things, and you may be eaten alive by your desire.

The only remedy it seems, then, is to die empty.