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For the past few months, I have the opportunity of being in possession of two different cars owned by my brothers at different times and that automatically meant me ditching my Taxi/other means of commute. In this period, I had noticed a very regular occurrence in my relationship with the gas gauge…on different occasions I had driven the car to the point where the light on the gas gauge comes up showing that I am almost running on empty.

Interestingly, the reason behind my constant  “Running on Almost Empty” is as a result of me shifting or postponing the day/time of refill because in my thought, if the car can still move then we are good. Other times, I am either in a hurry to meet up a deadline or I am just too carried away by other activities and things to be taken care of  and there right at the entrance of my estate is a gas station but I rather wait till I am on yellow to refill…this can be related to the way we run our lives and our relationship with God…we are too busy too consistently pull over for a refill in his presence.

Often, we find ourselves in this same exact state where we neglect the warning signs as we drive through life and we just keep moving, we see the signal that our spiritual tank is running on almost empty but yet we feel everything is okay and keep pushing through, we forget “1 Corinthians 10:12 -Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall“, we neglect to yearn and lean-to God for a refill. We are too busy that stopping/pulling over for a refill /to hear what God has to say to us in each season in our lives seems to be a futile effort so we just keep moving.

When the phrase “Running on Empty”dropped in my mind and I researched it on a deeper level, I knew the Lord was leading me to talk about it because I have and still recovering from it.

According to urban dictionary, “Running on Empty” is the beginning stage of depression, when you feel like the world is just out to get you, nothing is going on right in your life and you are on the verge of insanity. Despite all that, you still go through your daily routine, holding onto an ounce of hope that things will be better one day.

I wasn’t exactly feeling depressed, but I sensed I was “Running on Empty” but didn’t quiet realize that on time until sometime mid 2018 when I began to feel sudden dissatisfaction and unfulfillment in my life. Let me point out that at this time in my life, my fashion line was getting a lot of traction, money was coming in maybe not like I wanted but I was content with the provisions God made in that season…we had just showcased at our first runway show, we got some press coverage, our pieces were featured on two different magazine covers, and also in a TV commercial….all this was enough to keep me happy and bubbly being that the business officially started full time operations the year before that is 2017 but I constantly had a mask of unfulfillment behind closed doors and on the outside I tried to keep up with appearance (after all we are taught not to look like what we are going through) so I nursed this feeling inside.

As a temporary escape, I began to nurse the idea of turning another of my very numerous passion into a side business in 2019 just to get the feeling of a newness and something fresh, I made plans towards this idea but never got the excitement that comes with something new and that gave me doubts about the whole idea so I shoved it off and kept on pushing through.

Just before the end of 2018, the word INTENTIONAL dropped in my spirit and I knew that was the word to live by for the rest of 2019 and I made a post on it in January here:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2507796892569219&set=a.248247841857480&type=3 .

This single word I chose to live by has redirected the cause of my life in more ways than I could ever imagine… I realized I wasn’t intentional with the things of God as I used to, I began to see how much I have tried to push aside the ways of God in preference for my own ways, I realized that through most of my actions that I was telling God “Chill I got this all planned out” it was more of me and what I wanted and less of God. I wanted God’s abundance but never created time to actually glean and listen to his leadings in different seasons in my life, I prayed about things then work myself up in my own way to get it done and when it fails, I try every other possible means to make it work…I had neglected the God factor.

I read by bible but not sure I came across this verse for a very long time: John 15:5 “I am the Vine; you are the Branches. He who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing” .I was abiding but not fully… neglecting that God takes glory in our total surrender…but also forgot the part that says “His strength is made perfect in our weakness not in our strength”.

As I began to dig deeper about my situation of unfulfillment and unsatisfaction, I noticed my “soul’s low fuel light” and I felt God leading me from the first quarter of the year to pull away and refill in his presence but I was more concerned about my job and how to create time just for him so I ignored it but God being a loving father wasn’t ready to relent on me ,he knew we have been back and forth this excuses for a long time, he knew it was time to fulfil and answer the call on my life, he has taken all my flimsy reasons and postponement for a long while and  wasn’t ready for a NO this time so  he knew he needed to get my attention whichever he chooses and just like he did to JONAH, he sent a storm.

P.S : From a very young age, I knew that the Lord has a special calling on my life and I was on that path at some point in my life but took what I would call a sabbatical leave from the actual work while spending much time on a small facet of my ministry (would put up on more detailed post on this later).

It was until the storm hit, I knew that I couldn’t move anymore and needed to come to a place of total surrender and also like JONAH I cried out to the Lord…I finally dropped to my knees and admitted my need for a spiritual refill only found in Jesus. I gulped down in his presence and drank in his peace, all the while wondering why I waited so long to pull over and its been an amazing journey as daily he has been causing me to REST on him and his word.

Have you seen yourself trying to take the role of God in your life? Are you saying more yes to your ways and NO to the father’s leading? It is a sign of spiritual rebellion which shows that you are “Running on Empty “and it is time to refill.

We don’t know what each day holds, but God sees the next. He knows what we need and how to equip us for the things ahead, if only we pay attention when the light alerts us.

Dear Friends, if your soul is nearing empty do not wait! The Lord is asking you today to take time, fuel up and find rest for your soul.

Join me in taking this short prayer of repentance:

Prayer: Lord thank you for the salvation of my soul, thank you for not letting me loose my life when I tried to do life my way. Forgive me Lord for thinking I could ever make it on my own. Give me the Grace Lord to understand that I can only do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Rid me of every self-reliance and self sufficiency and let my gaze be fully fixed on you as I walk daily to fulfil that which you have called me to in Jesus Name, Amen

Is your heart tank crying for a refill that can only be filled by God?

Do you need someone hold your hand, encourage you while you pause for a refill?

Want to prayerfully seek him for alignment & realignment of your purpose?

Then the Lord has just led you to the right place, let me hold your hand and you hold mine as we go on this journey.

I would be glad to prayerfully walk with you on this journey and at the end all glory will be returned to the Father.

STAY WINNING!!! STAY BLESSED!!! AND ABOVE ALL ARISE SHINE!!!