Do you have days that you feel like your cup is empty but you keep having to pour more out? You always give pieces of yourself to everyone else, but you’re burning out.

You care so much about everyone else, but what about you? 

Days are repetitive. Dishes upon dishes, errands galore, and little if any “me” time. You are most likely the glue holding everything together. 

But what if you are burning out? 

You’re starting to come unglued, which means everything else is too. 

Some days do you question why?

Why do you pick your kids clothes off the floor after you told them a thousand times about putting them in the hamper?

Why do you answer the phone at 3am knowing it’s your brother asking for money again? 

Why stay at a dead-end job instead of following your passion?

I’m going to take a wild guess and say the root of your why is love. 

You love your crazy kiddos and would do anything for them, even if it means repeating yourself until your hair starts falling out.

And your brother, he struggles with many things, but you love him anyway. 

Your job may not be glamorous, but it puts food on the table for your family. 

Love is the most powerful driving force in our lives. Love guides you, but burned out you isn’t going to give the way you truly want.

When is it enough? Who refills your cup when it’s empty?

When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, His love is in you. 

He is the source of the love you share with other people. It’s a gift from Him, and His Spirit is within you. 

God’s love is inside you, and it’s the fountain of life. Its flow is endless and will provide whatever amount you need. 

Jesus says, “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14, NKJV.

Think about that for a minute. 

Your cup is empty, and you have no strength to refill it. But here comes Jesus, and He has a fountain of endless water for you. 

Let Him search your heart. You are a special person, created in God’s image. 

Quiet time with Him is more effective than any other task you perform in your everyday life.

I don’t mean to sound dismissive of the many priorities in your life that are extremely important. The point is, that you are the central force within those priorities. You’ll burn out if your heart isn’t filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

You and Him tackle life together, and you need each other. He needs you to spend time with Him so you can fulfill His purpose for your life. 

You need Him to guide you and refill the love in your heart. The moment you get alone with Him, you know you’re in the right place. You feel your spirit finally satisfied. 

Once your cup is filled with that love, you are a blessing to others… and God. 

“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit” 1 John 4: 12-13, NKJV

He perfects love in you.

It doesn’t grow weary or lose its impact. On the contrary, it only gets stronger the more you give. 

There’s no guilt or shame with Jesus, only encouragement and support. 

When you feel like you have to keep juggling or else everything will fall, that’s when He’ll want you to put down the balls. So give it to Him and watch what happens. 

Five ways to let Jesus refill your cup when you’re burned out: 

1. Stop 

 Take a moment to breathe and stop your mind from racing about all the things you have to do in one day. You’re always on the go. Time to stop getting burned out. Take 10 minutes before work or wake up earlier than usual to sit in silence in your room. Even just 10 minutes with God will prepare you for the entire day. It opens the valve to let the fountain flow. 

2. Ask for help 

 You do many things only you can do, but not absolutely everything. For example, maybe your kids can’t go to your job for you, but they surely can clean their own room or run the vacuum. Ask a friend to help with dinner. Do whatever you can to delegate some of your responsibilities to give you time to get on track. There’s no shame in asking for help. Remember, the purpose is to have your cup of love refilled. The more time you spend doing every little thing, the less time you have for the most important ways you serve those around you. 

3. Get alone 

Even if you have to hide in a closet to get some alone time with God, do it! Whatever you have to do to get alone with Him so you can open your heart, it’s the best intervention. The first time may be hard and uncomfortable, but you will want even more once you see how freeing it is.  

4. Let it out

You might think, ok, now I made the time, now what do I say? Say everything! Whatever is in your heart. Talk to Him about dinner or even the frustration you feel because you’re so tired. The point is to let it out to your Savior. He can take any part of your life, whether broken or burned out, and help you find the purpose in it. 

5. Repeat

Everything we just talked about … do it again. Keep it going daily or even weekly, and you will see a change in your life and in your relationship with God and Jesus. Time spent with Them is never wasted. 

God bless you.

Please comment with one thing burning you out and how you plan to give it to Jesus.