Running on empty

He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled. Psalm 107:9, NASB
   
​      I glanced at the gas gauge. I’ll make it, I reasoned. Can’t stop now. Not long later the red warning light blinked on. Uh-oh, really low. Probably should stop and get gas. No time, though. I think I can make it to the next exit.
      But I didn’t. The car sputtered and rolled to a stop. No gas, no power, no go. “Bummer. Wish I’d heeded the warning,” I muttered as I started the hike to the gas station I had passed several miles ago.
       “In the busyness of our day and life, it may seem like a waste of time to slow down, to stop what we’re doing, and take [a] break. It is no more a waste of time than stopping to put gas in our car when the tank is almost empty,” writes Melody Beattie in The Language of Letting Go.1
     God doesn’t expect me to run my life on empty. (You, either!) He promises to replenish our longing souls and refresh our minds and bodies. So let’s decelerate when we notice the warning signs, turn off the speedway and fill up. We can get back on the road later.
     Lord, my red warning light is flashing. Help me slow down and fill up before I run out of inner strength.

​Make It Personal
What keeps you from stopping to fill up your inner tank? With this knowledge in mind, consider making a plan to turn off the speedway and refuel—even for 15 minutes. While you’re resting and filling up your inner tank, take several deep breaths.
Devotional from Joan's book, It's a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life, Regal Books

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