WHAT'S IN YOUR CUP?
- E. Ken Harmon
- Nov 22, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 10, 2024
I had originally come to the coffee shop to enjoy a cup of coffee and ponder, yet I ended up fixated on the coffee cup itself. Quite ironic, isn't it?
@ekenharmon #stoplivingwounded #stopleadingwounded #stoplovingwounded
At 4am, I gazed at my nearly empty coffee cup when the server approached me, smiling and apologizing for the delay as she had been occupied in the back room. She mentioned, 'Sir, your cup is almost empty,' and offered to refill it. I accepted and requested a warm cinnamon roll of some kind (I'll work off the calories later).
For some unknown reason, the coffee cup captivated all of my attention. Lost in my contemplative thoughts (a common occurrence for me), I found myself in a deep state of analysis. I had originally come to the coffee shop to enjoy a cup of coffee and ponder, yet I ended up fixated on the coffee cup itself. Quite ironic, isn't it?
After gazing at the coffee for an unknown period, it suddenly dawned on me what message God is trying to convey. Observing the partially occupied coffee shop, I noticed that each of us held unique cups containing different beverages, symbolizing specific needs that must be fulfilled. Intriguing.
Our heart is like a cup that holds our passions. When our cup is empty, it requires filling. Could this be the essence of a broken heart? It seems as if our soul is seeping out of us.
#1 UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF YOUR CUP.
It has taken over 40 years for me to comprehend my own cup, my own heart, and my own passions. Although I explore the transition from pain to purpose in my book, Stop Chasing the Wind, I now realize that my cup yearns to inspire and uplift individuals to lead happier, healthier lives. Specifically, my cup craves to engage as a public communicator rather than working as a clinician in an office. This is where I discover my enthusiasm and happiness; interacting and engaging with people about pain (our past), presence (our present), and purpose (our future).
#2 PRAY, THEN PURSUE, WHAT YOUR CUP IS MADE FOR.
Because I knew what I wanted (coffee), I knew what to ask the Server for and the Server was eager to provide (I hope you see where I am going). Passion drives us towards Purpose. Passion is the fuel for your car. Jesus shared, "Ask, [pray] and it will be given to you; seek [going after] and you will find...for everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks find" (Luke 11:9-10).
God, your Father in heaven, desires to bestow good gifts upon you, particularly fulfilling the desires of your heart (Psalm 37.4), as long as your heart's desires align with His purpose for creating you (Psalm 139.13). This leads to the final point:
#3 DON'T COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S CUP
As I sat there, I noticed a large man beside me engrossed with something on his tablet while sipping tea. There was also a small girl three tables away typing on her laptop with what appeared to be a huge cappuccino or latte. It dawned on me that some cups seemed identical externally, while others were distinct. Yet, it was evident that each of us had a cup of some sort containing a beverage of some sort.
Wanting the voice of a Jon Egan is admirable, but is it your cup? Desireing to tell a story like Daniel Grothe is commendable, but is that your cup? A lesson I had to personally learn, desiring someone else's cup is to reject not only the Server who gave you your cup, but to reject what the Server is trying to put in your cup as well.
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