‘Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?’ This was a popular ad campaign on a local Christian radio station I listened to in the 90’s. I got so sick and tired of the ‘sick and tired’ campaign that I stopped listening to that radio station.
Does it bother you, like it does me, that Christian’s lives don’t look different from others? It seems like we should have ‘more’ life…..less of the ‘sick and tired’ stuff!
“I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10
What do you and I do when we are running life on empty? When we’ve run out of gas, out of energy, or out of oomph?
Let’s be honest, what do most of us do first, when experiencing an energy low? Get a cup of coffee, of course. I do. When my girls were young and not sleeping through the night, I admit, I drank 1-2 pots of coffee a day (5-8 cups). I’m down to 2 cups these days – since at a certain age – my age – not only does coffee wake you up – it keeps me up at night.
The average American drinks 2-3 cups of coffee a day. We are tired and coffee is a stimulant – a drug. Fact.
Coffee works – it perks us up!
If you’re like me, food is the next ‘go-to’ we use to fill ‘er up and to recharge. It is vital. It is necessary. It feeds our bodies the most basic of fuels – calories to work on.
The problem is, most of our sick and tiredness isn’t from our need for food or calories – it comes from our hearts.
We are weary. Worn out.
Feeling unloved, unlovely, or inadequate for the tasks before us. Overwhelmed by life. Needing some nourishment deep down in our souls – where food can’t fill. Though, sometimes I try, through brownie binges and whatnot – that ‘ole chocolate solution, my girl hormones crave.
What do we feed our souls? How can we nourish and fill up our inner selves?
Sometimes, we medicate – try to cover up our needs and our feelings – numb them. This may be through pain medications, or an extra glass of wine at dinner. Don’t you just want to feel better – or at least not feel pain?
What we really want is love – love is the real deep soul need – but where we go to find it isn’t always healthy. Sometimes we accept 2nd best relationships – a quick fix. Perhaps a physical relationship, or a relationship we know isn’t for our best but we crave the attention and being liked. Or we seek accolades from our performance, or our family’s performance. When my kids do something well, I feel better (at least for a minute). It meets the immediate need – but the deep seated longing is still there – unmet, unfed. The refueling didn’t last. It is a temporary fix.
I remember my 16th birthday.
Fresh out from my appointment at the Washington State Drivers Department, a brand new “licensed” driver – my parents gave me the car keys and money and permission to bring a group of friends out for dinner. A sweet gift. I loaded up their silver Chevy Impala, a boat of a car, with five friends and myself and off we drove.
My folks warned me, I needed to fill up with gas or I wouldn’t get very far. We stopped at the local gas station and to my horror the pump nozzle for the gas would not fit into the tank. I struggled, then called to a friend who came out to assist me. She, too, couldn’t get the nozzle into the gas tank. Soon, all my five friends were standing outside the car, attempting to cram the nozzle into the gas tank. We were laughing, but it was more embarrassing than funny, and I, finally, had to ask the gas attendant, who explained I was using the wrong fuel. I was trying to put diesel fuel into my gasoline fuel tank!
I think sometimes we do that in life – try to put the wrong fuel into our life fuel tank.
At some point we will run out of fuel, or we can’t get the fuel into the tank – because we weren’t designed to run on self rule fuel. We were made to be Spirit filled, Spirit fueled, Spirit led.
A God powered life. The one we were made for.
The weariness, the run down feeling, the lack of meaning comes from putting the wrong gas in the fuel tank. Trying to “make” ourselves feel better, from temporary fixes. Where can we go for real rest and refueling?
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
God’s love nourishes the deep spaces inside us, the holes that aren’t filled by any other food. God’s love is the real meal deal. Meat and potatoes (or a veggie platter, if your vegan) for your soul.
“Because Your love is better than life…
I will praise you…
I will be satisfied as with the richest of foods.”
Psalm 63:3,5
**Lord, Forgive us for the way we’ve sought nourishment from places other than You. We want to experience Your love, to have the holes in us filled with Your very life. We invite You to come into our hearts, this day, to refuel our souls. Amen.
Joining the lovely ladies at Jennifer Dukes Lee TellHisStory, Holley Gerth’s CoffeeformyHeart, Kelly Balarie’s RaRALinkUp, Missional Woman FaithFilledFridayLinkUp
