Running on Empty
There are seasons when life feels like running on a treadmill, working hard, breathing hard, and still feeling like you are not getting anywhere. You are putting in effort, but the finish line keeps shifting. It is a strange kind of pressure, constant movement, constant responsibility, and not much relief. For me, that pressure showed up in a very real way.
I was building a new business while trying to keep income coming in, and it felt like there was no room left for me. I was maintaining a home, managing responsibilities, and trying to stay steady while my health lagged behind. I kept believing things would ease once I caught up. They didn’t. The weight stayed, and I felt worn down more days than not.
When you are weighed down, it is easy to assume something is wrong with you. But being mentally exhausted does not mean you are failing. It often means you are carrying more than one person was meant to carry alone. Scripture does not tell us to grip harder. It tells us to release what is heavy. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). God’s care is personal, not distant.
In seasons like this, urgency can start to feel like truth. Everything feels important. Everything feels immediate. You can find yourself reacting instead of resting, moving without direction. That is when faithfulness needs a new definition. Not doing everything, but doing the next right thing, then trusting God with what remains unseen.
This is where Jesus meets us with a promise that is steady and sure. “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Rest is not a reward for finishing everything. It is provision for people who are carrying too much. If you feel burdened, you are exactly who He is speaking to.
If this is your season, hear this clearly. You are not behind. You are not weak. You are human, and you are carrying a lot. God sees the weight you are under. He is not asking you to push harder. He is inviting you to come close, release what you cannot hold, and walk forward one steady step at a time.
Reflection & Journaling
Where do I feel most weighed down right now?
What burden do I need to place in God’s hands today?
What does trusting God with the next step look like for me?
Quiet Prayer
Lord, You see the weight I am carrying. Help me release what is too heavy for me to hold alone. Teach me to trust You with what I cannot control. Strengthen me as I walk forward, one step at a time. Amen.