WEEK 1 DAY 1
Running on Empty
Devotional
Have you ever driven a car until the gas light came on, then kept driving anyway? We tell ourselves we can make it just a little further, ignoring the warning signs until we're stranded on the side of the road. Our spiritual lives often mirror this dangerous pattern. Many of us are living with our spiritual gas tanks on empty, pushing through each day while ignoring the warning lights flashing on our souls' dashboard. We've become so accustomed to running on fumes that we've forgotten what it feels like to be truly filled and energized by God's presence. The truth is, not all tiredness is dangerous. There's a good kind of tired that comes from meaningful work, from serving others with joy, from living purposefully. But there's another kind of exhaustion that's far more concerning - the kind that comes from carrying wounds that never heal, from trying to control every outcome in our lives, from being the helper who never admits they need help. This dangerous tiredness creeps in when we mistake activity for intimacy with God. We can be incredibly busy doing things for Him while our relationship with Him grows cold and distant. We become like sophisticated cars with no fuel - impressive on the outside but unable to function as designed. Today, take an honest look at your spiritual fuel gauge. Are you running on empty? Are there warning lights you've been ignoring? God doesn't want you to burn out; He wants to fill you up. The first step toward restoration is simply acknowledging where you really are.
Bible Verse
'Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."' - 1 Kings 19:1-2
Reflection Question
What warning signs in your life have you been ignoring, and what would it look like to honestly acknowledge your spiritual fuel level today?
Quote
You can have the most sophisticated car in the world, but if it has no gas in it, it will not run.
Prayer
Lord, help me to be honest about where I am spiritually. Show me the warning signs I've been ignoring and give me the courage to acknowledge when I'm running on empty. Fill me with Your presence and teach me the difference between doing for You and being with You. Amen.
*This devo was developed using Sermon Shots
Have you ever driven a car until the gas light came on, then kept driving anyway? We tell ourselves we can make it just a little further, ignoring the warning signs until we're stranded on the side of the road. Our spiritual lives often mirror this dangerous pattern. Many of us are living with our spiritual gas tanks on empty, pushing through each day while ignoring the warning lights flashing on our souls' dashboard. We've become so accustomed to running on fumes that we've forgotten what it feels like to be truly filled and energized by God's presence. The truth is, not all tiredness is dangerous. There's a good kind of tired that comes from meaningful work, from serving others with joy, from living purposefully. But there's another kind of exhaustion that's far more concerning - the kind that comes from carrying wounds that never heal, from trying to control every outcome in our lives, from being the helper who never admits they need help. This dangerous tiredness creeps in when we mistake activity for intimacy with God. We can be incredibly busy doing things for Him while our relationship with Him grows cold and distant. We become like sophisticated cars with no fuel - impressive on the outside but unable to function as designed. Today, take an honest look at your spiritual fuel gauge. Are you running on empty? Are there warning lights you've been ignoring? God doesn't want you to burn out; He wants to fill you up. The first step toward restoration is simply acknowledging where you really are.
Bible Verse
'Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."' - 1 Kings 19:1-2
Reflection Question
What warning signs in your life have you been ignoring, and what would it look like to honestly acknowledge your spiritual fuel level today?
Quote
You can have the most sophisticated car in the world, but if it has no gas in it, it will not run.
Prayer
Lord, help me to be honest about where I am spiritually. Show me the warning signs I've been ignoring and give me the courage to acknowledge when I'm running on empty. Fill me with Your presence and teach me the difference between doing for You and being with You. Amen.
*This devo was developed using Sermon Shots