I had been running on an empty tank and didn’t even realize it. My workload this year has taken a dramatic increase. Some of it I chose; some of it was unexpected. Each day was an email inbox filled with issues, problems to solve, and systems that were broken.
Three weeks into the chaos, the exhaustion was real. I looked ahead on my calendar and realized I had committed to speaking at women’s event and preaching the following week. Honestly, I started to pray that women’s event would be canceled. I couldn’t find the time or energy to prepare for the event. I was asking God why I said yes. I had said yes month prior and had no idea how the fall was going to unfold.
God answered my prayer by keeping the event on my calendar. Each evening I would try to focus on shaping the time that 15 women had committed to spending time with God. I wanted to honor them and honor God, but the exhaustion was real.
Time was ticking away. My outline needed some flesh, some detail to say nothing about the message happening the day after the event. Finally, there was focus.
28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30 NIV).
In the midst of preparing for the women’s event and the message it became clear why God didn’t cancel the event. This forced me to stop working, stop analyzing and listen to Him, spend time with Him. Ugh.
God knew the best thing for me to deal with chaos, stress and exhaustion was to bring my burdens to Him. He needed to remind me that my rest is found with Him. I found my calm, and the event was a joy. It gave back to me more than I poured out to the women in attendance. I fought it. God blessed it. My empty tank was filled. God brought me rest.
What do you do with an empty tank? How do you deal with stress and exhaustion? How do you find rest? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.