With gas prices at, or nearing, historical lows, you’d think I could keep the gas light off. Ah, but some of us (I’m hoping I have some company here) have a facination with the lower-left hand corner of our gas gauges. My wife? Now she’s a true right-wing side of the gas gauge kind of a person…if her car is ever less than 1/2 full, she’s “almost out of gas!” 
While I suppose that running on fumes can turn a mundane commute into an epic competition between man and the next gas station (or the next one after that…), running on fumes spiritually is never much fun.
In those times of spiritual dryness, it is easy to say that “God is distant” or “God is not hearing my prayers.” We can all relate to those feelings. But, there’s always reasons to be thankful, always reasons to rejoice, always a God who can fill you up. Psalm 55:22 says “I will praise you forever for what you have done;in your name I will hope, for your name is good.” Regardless of how we feel, God is good. He has already done so much and has already provided all we need to fillup.
It is human to run on fumes at times and I think God even uses that in our lives. But, dinosaur tippers fill up on the promises of God. So, are you hugging the left side today or pegging on full?
a husband, dad, and follower of Jesus who is passionate about teaching and leading well. i love the church, urban culture and espresso. downtown phoenix arizona is my ‘hood. 
Definitely feel a little to the left today…very tired from stuff new parents deal with, in bed at 2am, slightly sick, up at 7:30, went to work anyways…and so tired I didn’t remember to pray in the car like I usually do…
I have alot to be thankful and grateful for..but there are days where I am consumed by stress,worry,doubt,fear,fatigue..so I try when I can to step back and reevaluate..not always easy
Mike I feel for you bigtime ..I know when Isaac was born we had no help,no family around or really close friends…thought I was gona loose my mind…it will get better….I hope you guys are getting more help from others let us know if you need anything
I hate running on Spiritual empty…I feel like I have been there for so long now. Not on purpose. Being in a spiritually barren place is uncomfortable not only for me (a person who is living it)…but for also those that have known me personally when I enjoyed more prolonged seasons of spiritual overflow and abundance.
I bemoan times of spiritual dryness…because it is not a coveted spiritual place to be; other Christians often wonder what sin was committed to get you ‘there’. If you find yourself almost on empty…it is important to be spiritually proactive! (pray,worship etc.) BUT… I have found recently that you can’t always make the season shorter by your distain of it…or praying it away…fasting it away…confessing it away…or denying you are in it. In fact, sometimes…our ‘fume-y’ dry seasons are God ordained…
A friend recently pointed out something to me in Matthew 4:1, that I never noticed…and that was that while God wasn’t the tempter…He can lead us by The Spirit to places that we would probably not likely choose to go to on our own…just as Jesus was “led up by The Spirit” into the wilderness to be tempted.
Spiritual draught (running on empty) is definitely one of the most painful seasons a Christ follower will experience…I ‘d like to be more covert and able to cover up my current ‘fume-y’ spirituality…but…it is what it is…What I am getting better at is embracing this season as ordained by God for His workmanship in my life…and believing that it is invaluable in accomplishing an even grater purpose than the spiritual contentment’s and highs I experience…that ultimately being…my transformation into a more accurate reflection of Jesus.
Do I recommend ‘intentionally’ running your spiritual tank dangerously low…or empty? Nope. But…sometimes for reasons unbeknownst to us…your tank will run dry…and God will be right there in that place…and the Spirit can teach you in it.
Whenever I’m exhausted and don’t think I can do one more thing it serves to remind me that I can’t do everything on my own. It also reminds me of Craig’s message about learning to say “no” and creating margin in every area of my life.
When I was a single dad, I used to set “finish lines” for myself to help me get through the day. Whether it was making dinner or getting through bath time or getting the girls tucked into bed, I looked at doing things in small pieces… sort of the “small victories” motif…. and once I got to the finish line, I’d feel better enjoying the victory and it would energize me to get to the next one.
That was before I became a full-on Jesus Freak, so I didn’t realize that it was Him who sometimes carried me across the finish.
Mike O – ahh, the joys of first time parenthood. you and jina are earning your parental stripes so to speak…you will find yourself with less time but more of a need to connect. Praying for you.
Joy – I think you just wrote a blog post for my comment “I think God even [dry times] that in our lives …]. thank you! you added so much.
Melanie and Christian – thanks for sharing your journeys; we can learn a lot from each others’ struggles and successes.
Brian…I truly never mean to hi-jack a blog…(wink) I just can’t condense ANYTHING…my old English Lit teachers always bagged on me for that. Nothing has changed. Glad you felt my blogette was helpful and supportive of your comment (o:~J
just one more way in which i should follow your wife’s example. that gina! i just had a close call yesterday concerning that needle hanging way too low on the left. and spiritually, i’m seriously low on gas lately.
“What a great weekend on the Phoenix Campus last weekend as we saw six decisions for Christ!” – Amazing!
and Mike Olbinski, no worries…we’ll pray for you.