Are You Running On Empty?

 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,  but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance.”  – Isaiah 60:1-3. 

Many people put off going to the gas station as long as they can count on the car to warn them when it is time for a refill. But then you put it off even when the red light is flashing on the dash because it is more fun to see how far you could get on “empty.” You are merrily driving down the road, humming to the tune on the radio, when you notice that the readout on the dash says 1 mile to empty. Now it has time to panic. You pledge to keep the car full of gas in the future so you don’t have to go through this again.  

The same is true in your spiritual lives. Many times you try to see how far you can get, unintentionally, without spending quality one-on-one time with God. You think this Sunday’s worship service or a small group gathering will hold you over until next week’s spiritual refill. But sometimes the light comes on, which is the Holy Spirit, reminding you that your tank is low and that it would be a good idea to stop and refuel before you are running on empty while trying to face life’s ups and downs with your own strength, your own power, your own knowledge.

This is why we are sometimes running on empty spiritual tanks. Other things get in the way of the ever-present Holy Spirit that is seeking our attention. Meanwhile, we keep rolling down the highway filling our tank with everything but what is necessary to function.  

All of us go through times where we feel spiritually empty. David likened it to a deer panting after water (Psalm 42:1 ESV). In the book of James, we find where our dependence, our source of strength, should come from. We need to be completely, solely dependent upon Him. Jesus leads us on a journey of becoming fully alive. He is our model, our Living Blueprint. He is also the fuel for our journey. Remember that we are loved. Beyond measure. Beyond comprehension. Fully. Completely. Steadfastly.  

When we let our spiritual tank run low, our energy and inspiration disappear. Our desire to live for Christ decreases, and soon, we are just getting by. Jesus wants more for us than just getting by. He isn’t satisfied with us walking through life thinking “I’m fine.” He wants abundance for each one of us. In the small wee hours of the night, in the midst of your struggle and hardest trial, God is waiting and wanting to fill your spiritual tank.  

 Make an effort to fill your tank today. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you to overflowing. 

Discussion Questions: 

1. How can you tell when your spiritual tank is running on empty? 
2. What can you do this week to keep your spiritual tank full?