"And when you pour yourself out upon us, you do not sink to the lowest level, but you raise us up; you are not dispersed, but rather you gather us together." -Augustine
It is so easy as mothers to get swept away doing a million tasks, investing in numerous projects at the same time until we are absolutely drained. Much like a teapot, we can continue pouring into all our various cups ... our children, husbands, friends, homes, meals, jobs, and so much more. We aren't always aware that our hearts, minds, and souls are almost empty until suddenly, we have nothing left to give.
There have been times in my life when my soul felt much like the empty gas tank of a beat-up car. Flashing red light, running on "E", knowing that at any moment, I may not be able to take another step. Once we allow ourselves to get all the way down to completely empty, we are no longer able to be good stewards of the things which God has entrusted to us. If you have only been spilling out and had no filling up, you will become impatient, frustrated, and drained.
In order to be a mother who is loving, gracious, and patient with her little ones, we must have our cup abundantly filled on a regular basis. The same goes for our marriages, as well. If you find yourself irritable, easily agitated, and unloving toward your husband, you may need to reevaluate where those feelings are stemming from. If your entire week has been so incredibly hectic that you never had a moment to yourself, never had a cup of coffee with a friend, and never spent time in scripture, your emptiness will drive you to irritation toward your family.
Scripture often talks about God pouring out for us (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18), and just as Augustine said, God has the ability to gather us together. Community is one of the most incredible tools God has given us, to allow the opportunity for someone else to pour into our cups! In Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he reminds us that fellowship with other Christians brings incomparable joy and restoration to the believer.
No matter how busy your schedule may be this week, regardless of how many tasks you have on your to-do list, make time to at least talk to a friend on the phone. The enemy wants to get you alone and make you feel isolated, because he knows there is great power and strength in numbers (Matthew 18:20). Make sure that you always have godly women of wisdom pouring into your life and speaking words of encouragement over you. Without this, you will continue running on empty, and you won't be able to build up your family, friends, or God's kingdom. If you lack friends right now, pray the Lord brings some your way! Then look around; who in your neighborhood, at work, or at church looks like they may need a friend, too?