“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.“
～ Hebrew 4:12
One day, my car made the sound of a firework. It was a loud pop, followed by complete silence. My steering wheel locked up and the SUV puttered to a complete stop. Foolishly, I had let my vehicle run out of gas. The freedom of the open road turned into a prison. I was stuck on the shoulder of the highway in the scorching sun.
Have you ever felt empty? Sometimes we can move fast and work hard just to find ourselves stuck. Emptiness can look like emotional burnout, directionless days, or even a sense of apathy about things you love. It’s no way to live. Just like a car, we need routine maintenance to keep ourselves moving. You need rest stops, maintenance, and to fill up your gas tank.
How do you do it? What does soul maintenance look like? Take intentional time to rest; it will refuel you.
Open up God’s word; it will reset your headspace.
Spend time with a life-giving community; it’ll rejuvenate you. Take a Sabbath day to unplug; it’ll recharge you.
The author of Hebrews teaches that God “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (4:14-16). Jesus can empathize with your weakness, which is why He graciously created a solution. Jesus provides mercy in places where you feel empty.
When you feel empty, let God’s mercy energize you. Open up to God and He will fill your soul. Miraculously, God brings his supernatural strength to our human weakness. With Jesus, burnout can lead to a breakthrough.