Introduction
Sometimes as women our cup tends to gets a little empty. By cup I’m referring to our emotional cup; the storehouse of our energy, drive and vigor.
Our cup becomes empty when we pour so much of ourselves into the people we love that we end up emotionally, physically and spiritually depleted.“We can’t pour into others when our own cups are empty.”
It’s not that we don’t want to “pour” into others, we enjoy it. However, the reality is that we can’t pour into others when our own cups are empty.
In this lesson, we’re going to learn what we can do when we find ourselves in a state of exhaustion.
We’re going to learn why our cups become empty, and how to refill them and live a refreshed and rejuvenated life for God’s glory.
How our cups get empty
How do our cups end up empty? My cup tends to run out when the daily routines of life wear me down.
It tends to happen gradually over time. It’s the result of a lot of cumulative factors.
For example, it’s waking up early to make sure everyone has a meal or 2, or 3 for the day, clean dishes to eat those meals from, clean underwear, and finding them that rare pair of socks without a hole.“My cup tends to run out when the daily routines of life wear me down.”
It’s making sure bills are paid, that everyone has money for the fundraiser or school dance or sports.
Sometimes its answering that dreaded email from a teacher when my child is making poor choices. It’s also going to work and engaging in all the responsibilities there.
Being a personal Uber for my children. Arranging play dates and birthday parties, making sure everyone is at church and in their place and on time. It’s all of that.
It also includes maintaining family relationships and friendships. And so much more.“If we’re not careful, life can easily empty us of our stamina and energy, leaving us with nothing more than an empty tank.”
I love all of these things, and for the most part they are a big part of who I am. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I’m thankful for them.
However, they can take their toll on me over time, and I’m sure you’ve felt the exact same feelings too and for similar reasons.
If we’re not careful, life can easily empty us of our stamina and energy, leaving us with nothing more than an empty tank.
So, what can we do when we find ourselves emotionally fatigued, mentally exhausted and spiritually drained?
We have to fill our cups back up! But what does that mean exactly?
What does it mean to fill your cup?
Filling your cup means replenishing your spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical reserves.
It means stopping and recharging your batteries. It means giving yourself permission to rest and be spiritually refreshed.
Yet, it’s easy to overlook and neglect our need to recharge. But it’s nevertheless vital that we take the time to rest.
Not taking the time to fill our cups back up only serves to put us in harm’s way, and in more ways than one.
What happens when we don’t stop to fill our cup?
An empty cup can cause untold problems in our lives. Ultimately, not taking the time to stop and refuel makes us stressed-out and burned-out.
Spiritually, our relationship with our Savior suffers. Our prayer life and devotion time suffer.
Physically, the stress causes us to feel aches and pains. Not to mention exhaustion, headaches, high blood pressure, stomach issues, etc.“Not taking the time to stop and refuel makes us stressed-out and burned-out.”
Emotionally we experience grater rates of depression, anxiety, anger, and worry. We become easily overwhelmed mentally.
Also, our social life can suffer too. Our husbands, kids, friends, family and coworkers may become more frustrating to us as our fuses become shorter and shorter.
So, what can we do to stave off these side-effects? How do we fill our cup?
Thankfully, scripture is filled with practical advice on how to recharge.
How do we fill our cup?
3) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV)
Make time to pray. Take a long pause to spend time with the Lord in prayer. Read His love letter (the Bible) and whisper your heart’s requests to Him.
When we connect with God and reflect on His promises, our spirits become refreshed on a regular basis and our cup runs over. (Ps. 23:5)
105) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Make time to read your Bible. Meditate on it. Be intentional in comprehending God’s Word.
You’ll be amazed by how much you grow, and how life’s paths will open to you anew.
13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
Strengthen yourself in the Lord, intentionally.
Leverage worship music. It can change your whole mood, so choose carefully. Sometimes a song can reach us before a message even does.
Have fun with your family, don’t let it all be “work.” Don’t let it be just another chore checked off the list of responsibilities.
Also, get enough sleep, eat healthy, and go for a walk.
24) When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.Proverbs 3:24 (KJV)
Take some time for yourself, and don’t feel guilty about it.
Both fully God and fully man, Jesus regularly practiced the discipline of self-care. No, He wasn’t pampering Himself with “me-time” activities.
Rather, He knew the importance of removing Himself from His mission, work, and purpose, so He could fill His cup with Living Water. (Jn. 4:10)
28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28 (KJV)
When you have nothing left to give are you depending on God to do the pouring?
When you feel like you just can’t go on, trust God minute by minute, day by day.
He has been faithful to get you through every bad day you’ve had so far. Have some faith.“When you have nothing left to give are you depending on God to do the pouring?”
Be sure to set aside time every day, throughout the day, to let the Lord love on you.
He does love you so much, take time to remember that and be encouraged by it.
It’s an amazing thought, the God of all the world loves you, cares for you, wants to spend time with you!
Conclusion – Slowing down to look up
Every human on this earth has a need to feel loved. While we have varying levels of this need, we are essentially like “empty cups,” needing to be filled.
If we are not allowing God to first fill our “cup,” our human nature will want to fill it in other ways be it through dependence upon a spouse, children, friends, food, career accomplishments, or other things.
But anything aside from the Lord’s love will come up short every time.“Every human on this earth has a need to feel loved.”
As moms God has called us to something great – pure dependence on Him.
Remember, you are a mom only because He has afforded you that role and trusted His precious little children into your care.
Are we all supposed to look and act the same, like “cookie cutter Christians?” I don’t believe we are.“We are called to be like Christ.”
My mother had a phrase she would always share with me, “The uglier the biscuit, the better it tastes.”
While we may have godly women in our lives that teach us and that we look up to, we are not called to be like them. We are called to be like Christ.
Not everyone has the same upbringing or opportunities. God just wants you to make the most of yours.
As you go about this life, keeping busy and juggling the responsibilities of work, church and family, will your “cup” spill? Probably.
The more important question to ask is, will you allow God to help you fill it back up?
I pray that you will and that lesson has helped you learn how to do just that.
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