How to Combat Running On Empty
Emptying myself is very different from running on empty.
Loading the dishwasher at our house is an art form. I’m daily amazed – and perplexed – at the creativity with which my kids arrange the dishes. I don’t consider myself to have OCD, but can we all admit there’s a right way to accomplish this task that doesn’t cause one to believe the dishes were thrown in the air to see where they would randomly land?
What causes my blood pressure to rise even higher is finding dishes in the sink when the dishwasher is not full. Last time I checked, that chrome door had hinges that made it easy to open. I now use a passive-aggressive sign that covers the sink when the dishwasher is empty. Still, sometimes, one of our kids is lazy enough think it’s cute to sneak a dish or two underneath it. Kiddos, I see you…
It’s easy to tell when the dishwasher needs to be emptied or filled. My life? Not so much. The warning signs are probably there, but I don’t always pay attention. And sometimes, like my precious children with their dirty dishes, I opt for what’s easy.
Emptying myself is vital if I want to grow in my faith. It’s a daily commitment to throwing off things that hinder my walk with Christ, attitudes that deny the grace of God, words that hurt, lies that defy the truth of God’s Word and good things that can distract me from God’s best. Spiritual purging can bring much freedom.
But EMPTYING MYSELF is very different from RUNNING ON EMPTY.
God continually calls me to the balance of “I must decrease” and “He must increase.” It’s not enough to be empty of what drags me down – I also need to be filled with what empowers me! This comes through intentional time in God’s Word, listening to his voice, and pouring out my heart in prayer. Mrs. Charles Cowman, author, and longtime missionary to Japan, said it this way:
“The way to let God do His work through us is to partake of Christ so fully, by faith, that He more than fills our life… Not always does the busiest soul best serve Him – but he that resteth on His faithful Word.”
My husband recently mentioned that my van needed gas. My response? “Oh, I can go about 30 more miles on empty.” He playfully rolled his beautiful blue eyes, but there’s usually some wisdom in his eye rolls. Why wait? Why get so empty that I’m anxious and coasting into the gas station on fumes?
And why wait until the next crisis to fill up on Jesus when He desires to fill me and live through me day by day and minute by minute? I want my desire for Him to consume me until the emptying and filling are a simultaneous spiritual habit. The more time I take to spend in His presence, the sweeter it is, and the less hurried I am to leave it behind.
How about you? Are there empty signals or “maintenance needed” alerts in your soul? What’s your next step in emptying yourself so His spirit can fill you?
Check out this podcast on Busyness…
