See if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. —Malachi 3:10 (NRSV)
A few years ago I was wiped out, spent. My tank was empty, and I was at the end of my rope, totally burned out. It was a long road back for me.
What’s been most important is not so much how I refueled my tank but the practices I learned to help me to never get that low again— things I now try to do every day. I’d like to share a few of them with you
1. Schedule two or three activities that give you energy each and every day. Call someone to say thanks. Pray through a portion of your prayer journal. Take a short walk. What you do isn’t as important as doing it regularly, whether you think you need it or not.
2. Commit yourself to using only positive language for an hour or a morning or even a whole day. It makes a huge difference.
3. Write yourself a note at the end of the day, affirming three positive things you did that day, and leave it in a place where you’ll read it first thing in the morning. It’s a great way to finish one day and start the next.
Have these simple changes made a difference in my life? Profoundly so. Today, it’s my faith that helps to make me well. And just as important, these practices have allowed me to better use my God-given gifts— ones I came close to losing—to make a difference for others.
Fill my cup, God. Let it overflow—not for me but that I can serve You with all the good gifts You have given me.
