YOU CAN’T POUR FROM AN EMPTY CUP
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
It had been a great morning. The bull elk had been screaming and chasing each other all over the mountain. Began following them the meadows below and up through the large aspens stands, up into the mixed spruce and aspen dark timber high on the mountain. My client had passed up 5 or 6 bulls that most anyone on most properties in the US would have taken. It had been an elk hunters dream.
It was time for lunch so we sat down and at a few snacks from our packs and listened to the elk talk back and forth around us. Suddenly a bull bugle close with a roar! We jumped to our feet and I answered him. Another bugle behind us and then another. We were surrounded.
Within a couple of minutes a big 6x6 bull ran in and presented a shot... the bull was down as the adrenaline raced through our bodies. After skinning and butchering, the adrenaline was gone and the real. work was still ahead. We loaded packs and headed off the mountain with ovwr 100 pounds on our backs.
By the time the meat was in the cooler, I was completely spent and could barely function. I needed rest and time to refresh. But I was getting paid to guide... the next morning we were up and ready before the hunters came for breakfast.
All of us go through times when we burn the candle at both ends for far too long and eventually it makes it hard to function. For many the Christmas season is just such a time. There are so many things going on and a time when we should be refreshing, we wear down.
Are you feeling tired? Worn-out ? Maybe even on the brink of complete physical and emotional exhaustion? I get it. Life is demanding, especially in ministry and often, it feels like there's never enough of you to go around. We're called to refresh and pour into others. But we need to remember, you can't pour from an empty cup. It's perfectly fine to admit when you're worn down, stretched to limit, or burnt out. In fact, it's important to be able to recognize these feelings, and it's even more important to overcome them and rebuild. So, how do we dig back out, when you're running on empty.
We've all heard it a countless times. But listen carefully. Jesus Himself knew the value of rest.
In Mark 6:31, He said,
"Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while."
Even the One who created all things needed a rest and a time to rebuild! It's important to find your desolate place – whether it's a quiet mountaintop, a cabin on the river, or just a quiet place in your own home and then take some time for yourself. Getting needed rest doesn't just necessarily mean sleep.... but that's important. It does mean to clear your mind and allow it to stay that way for a while.
Just today a friend told me that he is worn out... from the busy pace of doing ministry. His health was effected and something had to change, he needed refreshing. He told me that he's taking 20 days off and one of his board members is taking his cell phone away. Drastic measures.
God never called us Remember, "You can't pour from an empty cup." to exhaustion. Being completely drained is not a badge of courage. In fact God called us to be refreshed and ready to do battle.
Take time to refresh and rebuild, take time for yourself. Remember, "You can't pour from an empty cup."
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