Are you running on empty?

Have you been running yourself ragged for so long you don’t remember what it’s like to have a full tank?

I run the kids to school, music lessons and baseball practice. I run to the grocery store, my appointments, board meetings and volunteer events. I run to bible studies and lunch with friends. Sometimes, I even run to the gym to “run” on the treadmill. Usually, though, I run out to the park near our house so I can walk around the lake.

As I approached my favorite thinking spot near the water’s edge Monday morning, I realized how accustomed I am to operating on empty.

I’ve spent countless hours walking around this lake in the past year blissfully unaware of just how low the water was until I finally saw it filled to capacity. My usual driftwood perch is completely submerged and a trail that once seemed to tower above the water’s edge is impassable. It is now green and lush and seems to be teeming with vibrant wildlife.

It took record-breaking downpours to restore the lake to its optimal level.

Sometimes I forget how empowering it feels to be full. I comfortably operate in a constant state of weariness, dry and brittle, susceptible to cracking because I haven’t filled up adequately. We pour ourselves out into others, but feel guilty taking the time to refuel. Sometimes we even wear our weariness like medals of honor around our necks, proud of how much running we accomplish.

Occasionally, I let myself get so dry that the smallest inconvenience or mishap has the potential to become catastrophic because I have nothing left in reserve from which to pull. In these times, I need to flood my soul with His Word and Love. Unfortunately, taking the time and attention required for such a task can be inconvenient at best or impossible at worst. So, I just keep running.

It isn’t until I wind up completely run down that I feel I can justify making time for my own well-being.

I’m not talking about taking time out for a pedicure, stealing a nap or getting lost in a good book.

I mean being filled with the Spirit of God. We first receive His Spirit when we came to know Him as our Savior through our baptism, but the struggle to die to self and be filled with Him is ongoing.

I can get so busy running I forget it is not my serving or doing, but rather my resting in God’s promises and provision that restores me. If we let the needle hover around the empty mark we aren’t helping anybody. We cannot give what we don’t have. I’ve found, too, that when I reach rock bottom, I am likely to do more harm than good.

Refueling our souls is not a luxury, it is the only way to prepare for the race of life and all the unexpected twists and turns that come our way.

I find I am much more prepared for each day when I have spent time in prayer and study of His Word early. A quote attributed to Martin Luther says, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” While I rarely have three full hours to devote to daily prayer, I can tell a difference in the rhythm of life when I have spent time with God. It cannot be a cursory flip through the bible or a check-the-box prayer, though. I must humble myself before Him and ask His Holy Spirit to speak to me through His Word.

Weekly we can fill up through the Word and Sacraments He prepares for us as we meet in fellowship in His house. God created the Sabbath for us. Don’t skim over that. He created it FOR us. (Mark 2:27) It was never intended to be one more thing for us to add to our to-do list. He longs to use the Sabbath to refresh and refill us with His Word and His Holy Supper. As my Pastor said this past Sunday, this is where He meets us each week to exchange our burdens for His peace and rest.

Occasionally, I find it necessary to spend extended periods of time immersed in His presence. Though they can be logistically challenging, spiritual retreats are a great way to flood my soul before draining seasons and to replenish what I have poured out into others. Time away from my regular routine spent reading and studying His Word, praying, and journalling are all methods I employ to reestablish healthy levels of the Spirit in my life.

Often we don’t realize we have been neglecting ourselves until we are running on empty. I encourage you to take a few moments right now and honestly assess the fullness of your soul. Do you need a daily drip, weekly infusion or a record breaking flood to restore healthy levels?

Being filled with the Spirit is the only way to ensure you can keep on running!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for filling me with your Spirit. Help me to honestly assess how full of Your Spirit I am and then lead me to empty myself of my fleshy tendencies and make room for Your Spirit. Continuously fill me so that I can overflow again and again. In Jesus Name, Amen.

“Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27