“You can’t pour anything out of an empty cup.” These words struck a chord with me the moment my coach said them. He continued, “You need a supply of strength and energy.”
All of a sudden, I understood the problem. I could see the reason I had felt so haphazard, even though I was getting things done. I simply wasn’t taking the time to fill my own cup. I was doing everything while running on an empty tank.
Can you relate?
Do you ever feel like you’re at the end of your rope? Supporting others and getting things done but always feeling like it’s last minute and like you should be doing better?
If you feel that way, today is the day to make a change. If this problem isn’t dealt with, it could expand into years of stretching yourself past your capacity and eventually even into a place of bitterness and even resentment.
Looking after your own needs is an important part of showing up well for those who matter most to you. They deserve the best of you, not the rest of you. And if you’re not at your best, you can’t give your best.
God placed you on this earth to thrive, not to feel exhausted and behind all the time. When you are full and thriving, you bring glory to God.
So what should you do if you find yourself in this place? The first step is to be honest with yourself.
How are you showing up? Are you happy with how you treat others who are close to you? Are you generally in a positive mood or do you often seem anxious and on edge?
Calling out the gaps in where you are now versus where you want to be is a critical step to experiencing the renewal and refreshment that God wants you to have. Only then can we receive the absolute freedom He has for us.
Romans 15:13 (ESV) says, “May the God of hope FILL you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
God wants us to be filled with joy and peace. Then we can actually be filled with hope. We can have so much joy, peace and hope that it is actually overflowing and can be poured into others.
If we can learn to fill our own cups, we can have that consistent supply of strength and energy that God wants to give to us.
Listen to this podcast episode for five steps you can take right now to keep your own cup full and stay connected to God. Then you will be able to give your best to Him and others every day as you pour out of a cup that is always overflowing. {eoa}
Ryan S. Howard, Ph.D., is the founder of Your Faith At Work, a ministry and business that helps Christians influence and advance the kingdom of God every day in work, culture and life. Ryan has worked in the global manufacturing industry for more than 15 years and has visited over 20 countries and ran for the Iowa House in 2020. Ryan hosts a weekly podcast and is the author of 21 Days to a New Workplace You. He lives in Iowa with his wife, Bruna, and their son, John. Learn more at ryanshoward.org.
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