Tag: when you need refreshment

Weary from Pouring into Others

Lisa Preuett

I’ve been running on fumes lately and the gas tank of my soul is almost on empty.

The things I’m running after are all good. 

Encouraging others in their faith.

Walking alongside friends in difficult circumstances. 

Helping to lead a group of single moms.

Showing hospitality to others in our home.

Preparing to launch and market my first book. 

But in the midst of all the kingdom work, I can feel myself wearing down a bit. In a constant flow of pouring into others, I’ve forgotten to slow down enough to be refilled. Not being intentional enough with my time to sit before the Lord and let Him refresh me.

Imagine a huge pitcher of water. It’s surrounded by multiple small glasses. At first you can freely pour the water into the other glasses.

A little bit here. A little bit there. Pour some here. Pour some there.

But what seems an endless supply will soon run out. The large pitcher will run dry at some point.

 

An empty pitcher can’t fill anything up. An empty pitcher serves no purpose. It must be refilled before it can pour back out. We can set this pitcher under the faucet and turn it on. Water from an endless supply is available at any time.

This is a picture of what I must do to stay filled up! I need to sit still under the faucet of God’s never-ending love, full of peace and strength that will never run out. An endless supply of grace–available at any time.

Maybe instead of waiting until the pitcher of my heart is empty, I should go back to the faucet every day and stay filled up. I’m so guilty of waiting until every last drop of strength and grace are squeezed out of my parched, weary soul.

You know how some servers at restaurants are great about keeping your drink refilled? Instead of waiting until your glass is empty, they keep filling it up every time they walk by. Might even seem annoying at some point! But their eye is on the glass. Their goal is to keep it filled to the brim.

Perhaps I should aim to be like that server in guarding the condition of my soul. 

Always aware. Making sure I’m filled up. Intentionally watching.

But even if I push too hard and find myself on empty, God is still ever so gracious and patient with me. He calls me to simply come with my parched soul and sit at His feet.

He beckons me to soak up His presence. Overflow me with His peace. Fills me up to the brim. And then He whispers to me and says, “You’re filled up now. Go and pour into others who are still on empty. Pour into those who need to be refreshed. Let me flow through you to show my love.”

What about you? Are you running on fumes from pouring into others? Do you feel parched because your soul needs a refill from the Living Water?

Let’s challenge one another to stay filled. Encourage each other to keep a watch on our souls.

God longs to fill the pitcher of our souls with His never-ending supply of power.

It’s a must if we’re going to keep doing the kingdom work He’s called us to.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

 

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

 

 

Where’s Your Water Stops?

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 42:1 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for you, my God.”

Mile marker one. Mile marker three. Mile marker five. These are etched in your mind. Why? These are the official water stops for the race you’re training for. You know exactly where they are. For most races you can locate these specific locations online. They’re crucial. You wouldn’t survive without them. They aren’t just randomly placed without thought along the course. They are intentional. Purposeful. Strategically positioned exactly where they need to be. On race day, you breathe a sigh of relief as the first water stop comes into your view. Race volunteers line the road, each one holding out plastic cups of water. Grabbing the cup, you gulp down every last drop. Your thirst is immediately quenched. Feeling refreshed, you continue on with confidence, knowing there’s another water stop up ahead in a few more miles.

You would easily become dehydrated without your water stops. No matter how fast-paced you are, without water stops you would crash and burn. You know about how far you can run before your body needs water. Continue past that point and you start to wear down. Even when you’re training, you plan out when and where you’ll get water. Running around the block, maybe you put a bottle of water by your mailbox as you circle around a familiar path. Running with friends, perhaps you run a certain circuit and return to your cars for a fill-up. Sometimes organized groups set up tables for runners. Whatever the case may be, you strategically plan for water when you need to be refreshed.

Do we have the same urgency on our journey of faith? Do we intentionally plan spiritual water stops to quench the thirst of our weary souls? Refreshment is vital for the long road ahead.

What exactly does a water stop look like on one’s faith journey?

It could be worship services on the weekend. Perhaps it’s a weekly Bible study or an accountability group. Praying regularly with a small group. Meeting a fellow believer for coffee or calling a trusted friend. Each of these is purposeful—giving refreshment when we’re weary. They are like a pit stop on the journey of faith.

But waiting until things fall apart before seeking out these water stops would be like running aimlessly without any thought of where your water is going to come from! Just as the water stops on a race course are strategically positioned, we too as Christ followers must be intentional when it comes to discipleship and staying strong in our faith.

We get weary. Life happens. Sometimes it feels like a drought! We must be purposeful in planning out where we will stop to be renewed, refreshed and refueled!

READY? Can you identify specific water stops in your faith journey? Are you stopping often enough or do you need to add some more to your course? How does having water stops affect the level of peace and hope you have when things get tough? If you don’t have any water stops, pray and ask God to show you who, where and when they might be.

GET SET. 1 John 1:7  “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

GO! Heavenly Father, I praise you for being my ultimate water stop on my path of life. Help me to humbly embrace the water stops you’ve put into my life. Help me reach out to others when I’m feeling weary. Thank you for refreshing my soul with the power of your word. Amen!

water stops

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett