I want you to kick the bucket…

When I say, “I want you to kick the bucket,” I don’t mean in the sense of passing away. Instead, I want you to ditch the bucket you use to carry all of life’s possessions and responsibilities. Let me explain.

One day, we went to the beach with friends, and I found myself doing what many grown men seem to find irresistible at the beach—digging a really deep hole. My friend’s three-year-old son joined me as my enthusiastic co-digger. But instead of focusing on digging, he was determined to fill the hole with water. I tried to explain that the deeper we dug, the sooner we’d reach water. But he insisted on fetching water from the ocean. Off he went with his little bucket, scooped up a full load from the shallow waves, and proudly poured it into the hole.

“We’re going to need a lot more than one bucket of water,” I said. To which he confidently replied, “That’s fine. There’s a whole ocean right here.” Off he went again, knowing there was always more water when he needed it.

This simple moment struck me as a profound analogy for living in faith and trusting in the fullness of God’s provision.

Digging Holes and Carrying Buckets

We’re all digging holes in life, aren’t we? It’s the logical adult thing to do. These “holes” come in different shapes and sizes—our careers, families, goals, and dreams. The purpose of all this digging? To find water—to provide for ourselves and our loved ones, to feel secure, and to achieve fulfillment.

Often, we manage to fill a single bucket through our own efforts. But then, we cling tightly to it, afraid to spill a single drop. We ration it sparingly because we’re convinced that once it’s gone, it’s gone.

This reflects the mindset of self-reliance. When we produce for ourselves, the more we hold on, the less we truly have. We fail to recognize that there’s an entire ocean—an endless source—waiting for us to jump right in.

Bringing Buckets to the Ocean

Some of us know about the ocean. In this analogy, the ocean represents God—the ultimate source of life and provision. We bring our buckets to God, trusting that He will fill them, and He does. But the journey back to our hole is often filled with obstacles: sand dunes, towels, people, umbrellas. These represent the challenges and distractions of life. By the time we reach our hole, much of the water has spilled out. And before long, we find ourselves running back to the ocean for a refill.

This is the reality for many believers. They know and love God but struggle to fully trust Him to provide. They come to Him in moments of need, fill up their spiritual buckets just enough to get by, and then face life’s challenges only to end up empty again. Does this sound familiar?

Ditch the Bucket and Dive In

Here’s where I want you to kick the bucket. Leave it behind. When we realize that God is not just a provider but the provision itself, we can stop clinging to buckets and start diving into the ocean. Acts 17:28 reminds us: “In Him, we live and move and have our being.”

Living in the fullness of God means leaving our buckets at the half-dug holes, running full speed through life’s challenges, and diving headfirst into the waves of His love and grace. Jesus said, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

When we immerse ourselves in God’s presence, we find everything we need. We stay refreshed, much like drifting in an ocean that carries you effortlessly. He carries our burdens, and we are moved by His Spirit. Within the ocean of God’s provision, there is no lack.

The Call to Live Abundantly

Stop digging holes and trying to create your own provision. Ditch the bucket and dive into the ocean. God is the source of life, and everything He has is yours. Jesus said, “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you” (John 16:15). You are a king, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people chosen by God (1 Peter 2:9). He called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

You were created in His likeness to live an abundant life in Christ—a life without lack, fear, or sickness. Will you trust Him? Will you stop clinging to the bucket and dive into the ocean?

Be blessed.

Barry