Recently, I’ve noticed I’m running out of gas in areas in which it’s not quite time to run out of gas.
For example, poor Mack gets to practice driving on the way home from school only a few days a week, but even that works my nerves. I don’t know if it’s how close my kids are in age that have done a number on my ability to let yet another kid drive while I sit and pray and give direction. It doesn’t help that I still haven’t found the brake on the passenger side.
Or cooking dinner. It’s not time for me to hang up the apron and quit handling raw chicken every evening around 5:00pm. Yet, I want to quit cooking.
I did hire a house cleaner because I seriously ran out of gas in the cleaning of the toilet realm. I just couldn’t keep doing all the cleaning. Most of what a mom does gets undone as it is, and I just waved a white flag on this. I’m not sad about it either.
There are more serious things I feel that I’m running out of gas on before it’s time, and I’ve been praying lots about those areas. Suffering has been a close friend lately. Honestly, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t suffer at some level and no level of suffering is pleasant.
I’m reading a book titled “Shattered Dreams” by Larry Crabb. He challenges me to see suffering as that which makes hope stronger since it makes it clear that this world is broken and not my home. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope.” Suffering can bring us to the end of ourselves. Suffering reveals the worst in us and also can reveal the God-wrought best in us. Suffering will change us. Larry says, “Through suffering, we see we are someone we could never have been without grace.” Suffering demands endurance. And I’ve been challenged to “ask God to make suffering a servant of peace and hope and joy in Christ.”
So in a broken world full of reasons to worry, full of suffering and grieving and pain, we can’t give up. We can’t run out of gas. We need endurance. We need hope. Josh taught from I Peter on Sunday and reminded us that Hope is important because suffering is a reality. Jesus is our living hope! He fills our gas tank and gives us strength to keep going.
I’ve also found this song deeply moving in this season where I’m tempted to stop doing things it’s not time to stop doing. Hopefully it encourages you!
Keep On by Christy Nockels
Is it just me or does everything feel different?
Like it’s darker somehow, like the light has had its moment
But like any good story there’s a moment when
The Light reveals where it’s always been
And the days we spent believing suddenly matter
So keep on shining and doing good
Even when it’s the hardest thing you’ve done
Even when no one’s looking
There’s a promise if you don’t give up
The time will come when your fields will ripen
With the morning sun
And the harvest that you reap will carry you
So keep on shining
Yes, keep on shining
I know what it’s like to be weary in the hidden
When you keep your head down
With the hopes you’re growing something
And maybe it’s been awhile since you’ve heard it
That there’s beauty in all this work you do
With the life of God in you
And oh how it matters
So keep on shining and doing good
Even when it’s the hardest thing you’ve done
Even when no one’s looking
There’s a promise if you don’t give up
The time will come when your fields will ripen
With the morning sun
And the harvest that you reap will carry you
So keep on shining
Yes, keep on shining
Oh it’s His life, oh it’s His love
Yea it’s His light shining in you
Like the aspen trees in a mountain breeze that’s you
And what a difference you are making
No it wouldn’t be the same without you
Like the sunset after a summer rain that’s you
Yea, it’s His life, His love and light in you
So keep on
Keep on shining and doing good
Even when it’s the hardest thing you’ve done
Even when no one’s looking
There’s a promise if you don’t give up
The time will come when your fields will ripen
With the morning sun
And the harvest that you reap will carry you
Yes, the harvest that you reap will carry you
So, keep on shining
Keep on shining
Keep on shining, ’cause it matters!
Keep on shining, ’cause it matters!
Keep on shining, ’cause it matters!