RUNNING ON EMPTY

            As we drove along the highway, I saw the sign for a gas station. I glanced down at my gas gauge. It read one quarter full. I thought to myself, I’ll fill up at the next station. As the miles clicked by, and my gas supply decreased, I nervously watched for any sign of an upcoming gas station. The Montana landscape was barren and open. There were no buildings to be seen for miles and miles. We approached an exit and I eagerly looked for a gas station. There was one there, but it was boarded up and out of service. We were driving through the night and the last thing that I wanted was to be stranded on the highway in the middle of nowhere. I was praying fervently that God would get us to a safe place before the gas ran out. Finally, at 6:00 AM, I saw lights on the horizon. As we approached the exit I could see a café and a gas station. We pulled off the highway and into the parking lot. The gas station was closed for the night, but would reopen soon. The café was open. I breathed a prayer of thanks as we wearily climbed out the car. When I finally was able to fill the tank, I pumped in the full capacity of the tank. We were literally running on fumes. God had sustained us beyond what we could have hoped for.

            There have been a number of times in my life when I have been running on empty spiritually and emotionally. I tell myself that if I can just hold out until the next vacation or the next day off I’ll make it. The longer I go the more drained I feel and the more anxious I become. During those times, I desperately need God to fill my tank. There are a few lessons I have learned along the way, which I often fail to heed, to my shame.

            Keep your spiritual and emotional tank as full as possible. Don’t let it get dangerously low. The best way to do this is to be disciplined about spending time daily in prayer and reading the Bible. I try to devote the first hour of my day to filling up my spiritual tank. Sometimes, the demands of ministry get in the way, and I give in to the temptation to pass up the gas station and plunge ahead. When I do this I usually get in trouble. My energy and enthusiasm begin to drain away. I become spiritually sluggish and unproductive.

            Jesus set the example for us. Although we don’t have a detailed outline of how Jesus spent each day, we do know that Jesus regularly spent time alone in prayer and communion with the Father. We see an example of this in Mark 1:35. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. The demands on Jesus were incredible. If he would have allowed it, Jesus could have been meeting the needs of people 24/7. Jesus understood the need to recharge on a regular basis, so he willingly removed himself from the crowds to meet with His Father.

            If we are going to be effective in our Christian life, we need to constantly refill our spiritual tanks. This will take some intentionality and discipline on our part. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

- Be consistent. Set a regular time in your schedule to pray and read. We make appointments with many people throughout our day. Make an appointment with God and then keep it. It will be the most important meeting you have.

- Be compassionate with yourself. Many people struggle with being consistent in their daily devotions. If they miss a day or two, they beat themselves up as bad people. They feel guilty so they either compensate by trying to do even more, or they give up. Be gracious to yourself. If you miss a day, move on. Pick it up the next day and keep going.

- Be creative. One thing that stops people from having their daily devotions is that they become stale and routine. If you do the same thing day after day, it will lose its vitality. Be intentional about changing the way you go about your devotions. Use a variety of devotional guides. Be intentional about praying for different things on different days.

            We all face times when the demands of life overwhelm us. It is not that we have been negligent. Instead we got caught in circumstances beyond our control. At those times, it is essential to lean more fully of the grace and power of Christ. Spiritual storms are a reality of the world we live in. If we try to face them in our own strength we will quickly be discouraged and defeated. Instead we should learn to trust God to give us the strength to keep moving forward. There are two passages from Paul’s letters that come to mind when I am feeling overwhelmed.

            First, Paul understood that his strength could take him only so far. God used one of those “out of Paul’s control” experiences to teach Paul a valuable lesson. We read about it in 2 Corinthians 12.

            To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)

            Paul was a high powered, get things done kind of a guy. Weakness was not something that he had any time for. God had to remind Paul that his real strength came from God. When Paul was afflicted with his thorn in the flesh, he could have complained, he could have given up, but instead he accepted God’s hand in it and leaned even more on the power of Christ.

            I often fall prey to the idea that I should be stronger or that I should be able to push ahead on my own strength. God has to continually remind me that He is in control and I my strength comes from allowing Christ to work through me.

            The other passage that I think of is Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV). Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

            Paul reminds me of two very important things. When I face the challenges of life, it is my responsibility to take advantage of the resources God has given me. Armor is intended to protect. It can only protect me if I put it on. When I face the challenges of life, I need to stand my ground and let Christ fight the battle.

            God protected my family on that desolate stretch of highway in Montana. He sustained us beyond what I thought was possible. He continues to do that on a daily basis, especially when I am running on empty.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.