God Sustains
To the One Who Feels Like They Have Nothing Left to Give
To the person that feels like you are dry and empty. Like you are stretching yourself so thin, running yourself into the ground and pouring out energy from empty tank. Your schedule is so busy that you barely have time for your friends, let alone yourself. If this is you, you are not alone! I and so many others have or are currently struggling with this as well. We so often fill our plates with so many different things that we don’t feel like we have enough time to do it all. Sometimes we don’t even want to do it all. So, what do we do when we feel this way?
If you know anything about the enneagram, I’m an 8. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, being an 8 means that I am a “challenger.” Not only do I like to challenge others, but I also love to challenge myself. So, when I have things to do, I am going to get them done and I’m going to do them to the best of my ability. Also, the challenger in me has a hard time saying no. So, as you can imagine, it’s not too difficult for me to fill my plate up quickly. Even though I LOVE what I do, and I like to push myself and do everything with excellence, that doesn’t mean that I don’t get overwhelmed or stressed out. In fact, I feel that way a lot. And I will tell you that the only thing that keeps me going in those times, is remembering who I’m doing it for. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That verse always brings me back to a place of humility. If I’m pushing myself and saying yes to all of these things, but I’m doing it for my own satisfaction or the applause of man, then of course I’m going to feel emptier inside. God is the only one that is able to fully sustain us. He makes us strong when we are weak. In Isaiah 41:10, he tells us “I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” When we turn our eyes to him and give him the glory, he provides us with the energy and ability to keep going.
Maybe you feel like you have so much going on and you’re failing at all of it. I feel that way sometimes. Like no matter how hard I try, it’s just not good enough. Again, in those moments I have to remind myself that if I’m being obedient to the Lord and working for his glory then I cannot and will not fail! Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” In this verse, God promises us that when he is prioritized in our lives, everything else will fall into place. When he is our number 1, the rest of our lives will align perfectly, according to his plan! How comforting is that? We don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to be the best. As long as we are seeking to glorify the Lord and give him the praise and honor that he DESERVES, he will take care of us. That is the where I find peace and comfort in the midst of a really busy life.
We can’t fixate on the world’s expectations of success because, as we all know, the world equates success with busyness. The world says that if we are busy then we’re doing life right. And if we’re not busy, then we are lazy. But guys, there is so much power in stillness and in taking time for yourself. Those little breaks you get in the day when you can take a walk, read a book or listen to music are so important! Take advantage of those are moments! If we are not getting poured into and taking care of ourselves mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically, then how can we expect to have the energy and the love to pour into others and take care of those around us? Take time for yourself. You are important, too. Don’t forget that!
Challenges:
Set boundaries. I have found this to be very helpful in my life. Set boundaries for yourself with your friends, your work, etc. To be completely filled up, you need time by yourself and especially with the Lord! If that is something that has been taking the back burner recently, then I encourage you to start setting boundaries that feel right to you.
Prioritize the Lord. We make time for the things that are important to us. Even in the busiest times of our lives, we can still prioritize God. Whether that means getting up early, putting your phone away, or saying no to making plans. If you want it, choose it.
Give yourself grace. You are not perfect. None of us are. We are going to mess up and we are going to feel like we don’t have any more energy to give sometimes. But there is grace from God in those moments, so I challenge you to let go of that perfection mindset and give yourself grace, too.
Prayer:
Lord, we praise you today! Thank you that you have given us another day on this earth. Lord, even in the midst of the busyness of our lives, we know that you are in control. We praise you that you never leave us, but rather you strengthen us, and you hold us up when we are weak. You give us the breath in our lungs and the ability to wake up and tackle a new day. I pray that we would seek you first always. That no matter what our day holds, whether it’s busy and overwhelming or fun and exciting, may we keep our eyes on you and give you all the glory. May we be reminded daily that you are our provider and our sustainer! We can do the things we do only through you! Thank you for choosing us to be your sons and daughters. May we find peace and rest in you today. We lift it all up to you. In Jesus name! Amen!