Exhausted and Empty?

Sometimes you may start to look at your life and what you are doing and feel like you just aren’t growing anymore. When this happens you can become easily discouraged and often quite critical of everything and everyone. You may not even realize that you aren’t really growing because life is busy, things are happening and you mistake activity for progress.

I really had no idea that I was struggling until my life kind of shifted last year. My location changed, the people in my life changed and my job changed too. I was so tired and I didn’t even realize it. I was void of hope and my faith supply was severely depleted. Looking back at that progression I see two things that were overtaking me...exhaustion and emptiness. You might say “how could you be empty when you live around all your friends and minister to hundreds of people every week?”  That’s really a good question. I can tell you that some of the loneliest and empty people on the planet are surrounded by the largest crowds. Busyness doesn't always equate to God’s business. It’s hard to believe but so true. People don’t complete you. Things won’t satisfy you. Only Jesus living His life through you can fulfill you. Life pushes us to excel, to do more and acquire more. But you and I need time to reflect…to rest…relax…recover…and refresh.

I heard someone define encouragement as the ability to pour courage into a person or situation. Encouragement is oxygen to the soul. It’s refreshment for the spirit. And it’s a surefire way to eliminate exhaustion and fill the emptiness.

You can be encouraged today! Read more uplifting articles like this one. Turn on some praise music. Break open your Bible and read a Proverb or two. I find that when I throw courage at others, God pours courage into me. Thank Him today for where you are. Praise Him for where you’ve been.  And trust Him that where you are going will be right where He wants you to be!