Recently, my friend Annie shared a story that made me stop and reflect for a minute. She ran out of gas right in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in Atlanta. Let me tell you her story of how she got there.
Annie had been having a typical week at the office, which for her meant long hours, back-to-back meetings, and deadlines that kept piling up. Then, in the middle of all that, a close friend got sick and needed someone to care for her. Without hesitation, Annie stepped in. That meant in addition to her demanding sixty-plus hour workweek, she was now preparing meals, picking up prescriptions, and running errands for her friend.
On the outside, she seemed to be managing it all with grace. She juggled work, caregiving, and life’s many other responsibilities until the moment her car wouldn’t start. She had just stopped at a red light at Peachtree Street and North Avenue, a major intersection, during the chaos of rush hour traffic. When the light turned green, she pressed the gas pedal and nothing happened. Panic set in. What was wrong? Was the car battery dead? Had the engine failed? She glanced at the dashboard for warning lights, but nothing seemed out of place. Then her eyes dropped to the fuel gauge. It indicated that her gas tank was empty.
In all of her busyness, she had completely forgotten to stop for gas. She meant to. She knew she needed to. But there was always one more thing to do, one more errand to run, one more person who needed her help. And now, at the worst possible moment, her car had come to a complete stop.
Have you ever felt like that? Like you’re constantly moving, giving, and doing but never stopping to refuel? Life can be overwhelming at times. Between work, family, ministry, and personal responsibilities, it’s easy to push yourself to the limit without realizing how exhausted you’ve become.
Women especially are known for being expert multitaskers. We take pride in our ability to juggle multiple roles, to be there for everyone who needs us. And sometimes, we even convince ourselves that we can keep going without stopping because there’s just too much to do. But here’s the truth: Just like a car, you cannot run on empty. At some point, if you don’t stop to refuel, you will come to a complete halt – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And often, it happens at the most inconvenient time.
Even Jesus Christ’s disciples struggled with this. In Mark 6:30-32, the disciples were so busy ministering to people that they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus saw their exhaustion, so He told them in Mark 6:31 (NIV): “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So, they stepped away. They didn’t argue that there was more work to do. They didn’t feel guilty for taking a break. They followed Christ’s lead and withdrew to a quiet place for rest.
If you feel like you’re running on empty, take a moment to stop. Give yourself permission to rest. Find your quiet place—whether that’s a morning walk, time in prayer, or just sitting in silence with God’s Word. Let Him refill and restore you. Because when you take time to refuel, you’ll find the strength to keep going not just for a moment, but for the long haul.
This is the lesson my friend Annie learned. She told me that while she waited for AAA to bring her some gas, she had the time for the first time that week, to get quiet and really talk to the Lord. In that moment, she realized that just like her gas tank, she was running on empty—something she did not have to do. It was a frustrating and scary way to learn the lesson, but it got her attention. Now she remembers that she must take the time to check her personal tank on a regular basis, just like she checks her gas tank, to make sure it is not empty.
Annie’s story is a lesson for all of us.
