Keeping Your Tank Full
“Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.”
Romans 12:12 MSG
I recently came across a great quote from a pastor named Ray Johnston. He wrote: “The road to a better future is never traveled on an empty tank.”
I think Ray hits the proverbial nail on the head here.
Think about it. You can have all sorts of dreams regarding your destination. You can make all kinds of plans for how you’re going to make the most of the journey. But if you run out of fuel along the way, none of that will matter.
You can be the most gifted and experienced person in the world, but if you end up on empty, your skill level, your talent, and your educational background – everything you had going for you – will be for naught.
You can be the most gifted, experienced person in the world, but if you end up on empty, your skill, talent, and education – everything you had going for you – will be for naught.
This is not only true in the physical world of cars, boats, and planes…it’s true in your emotional world. Drained people seldom make the finish line they’d hoped for.
That being the case, every person needs to ask two questions:
· What drains me?
· What fuels me?
Four Emotional Drainers
Ray Johnston suggests that there are at least four emotional drainers that you need to monitor:
Unhealthy people. We all have these folks in our lives. How do you know who they are? They are the people who make you less after time spent with them. They suck the life out of you with their criticism, complaining, and neediness.
Unkind critics. None of us is beyond correction because all of us have blind spots. The problem is that, while some critics have your best in mind and see you as “more,” other critics have your worst in mind and accuse you of “less.”
Unbalanced schedule. Rick Warren put it well: “If you’re burning the candle at both ends, you’re not as bright as you think you are.” And while some might say, “I’d rather burn out than rust out,” either way you end up out!
Unnecessary guilt. You can’t make your way down the highway of life without occasionally hitting a pothole or even ending up in a ditch. Scripture reminds us that “we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2)
The Good News of the gospel is that Jesus went to the cross because God wants you to forgive you for your past and free you from your past.
Which one of these is most likely to drain you? In identifying what that is, you can seek to eliminate if not reduce its impact.
Fuel Tank Additives
Avoiding the drains is one part of keeping on track to your destination. But there’s another: filling your tank.
Here are some time-tested additives that can help you for the long haul.
Worship gets our attention off of the problems and challenges that accompany the journey and turn our focus on the One who sees where we are and stands ready to help.
The power of worship. Isaiah wrote that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. Worship gets our attention off of the problems and challenges that accompany the journey and turn our focus on the One who sees where we are and stands ready to help.
The promises of Scripture. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones declares that too often we are listening to ourselves when we should be talking to ourselves. Reminding ourselves of the promises of Scripture is a solid antidote to extend our spiritual mileage.
The provision in great relationships. We all have people on our backs. What we need are people on our sides. “If one falls down,” says Ecclesiastes 4:10, “his friend can help him up. But pity the one who falls and has no one to help him up.” Strengthen the relationships you have and lean into them.
The potential in serving others. This one might surprise you. But I’ve found that, ironically, strength for the journey can be found when we choose to give instead of take. When we look to meet the needs of other fellow travelers, we often find capacity for our own trip.
Strength for the journey can be found when we choose to give instead of take.
It's so true: Drained people seldom make the finish line they’d hoped for. But the good news is that you don’t have to run out of gas. So, fill ‘r up!
Prayer:
Lord, I want to remain on journey for the long haul. Help me to monitor my fuel gauge regularly. Show me how to limit that which drains. And guide me as I look to top off my tank.
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