Five Minute Fridays are hosted by Lisa-Jo, who challenges us to write for five minutes… no editing… no correcting. Just for the sake of writing. Just for the art of writing. It is a good prompt exercise, and really lets more of our hearts pour out instead of our true outpouring being edited away. Today’s prompt is ‘Empty’. Want to join us? Make sure you stop by today.
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Remember the movie Running On Empty from back in the 80s? It starred River Phoenix, which ironically, his life ended because he himself was running on empty. Anyway, the movie was about a fugitive family. A couple who had made a big mistake and then spent years running away from the people who were trying to punish them for that mistake. It didn’t just involve the two of them, either. They had kids… who ultimately had to run with them.
Reminds me of myself in some ways. Have you ever made a big mistake? One that you wish you could take back.. and would if the chance were ever given to you? Maybe you have felt like you constantly run away from something that happened at some point.. maybe even 20 years ago in your life.
Running away is nothing more than trying to do it on your own. God doesn’t want us to do this. He loves us in spite of the wrongs we’ve done. He loves us in spite of the wrongs we say and do every. single. day. His desire is for us to stop running on empty… to come to Him… the only One who can fill us up.
Living on our own strength can feel like we are never getting anywhere. Running in circles. Never accomplishing anything. Wasting time. Just existing.
Giving it over to His strength will lead us out of the circles we create around ourselves. We will see accomplishment. We will stop hiding. Stop wasting time. Stop existing and start living.
Thus the difference between running on empty and walking peacefully full.
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Wow, what truth here: “Running away is nothing more than trying to do it on your own.” Praying to walk “peacefully full” right along with you, Paula! Great five minute post! (And good to say “hi” to you again!)
Thanks, Caroline! Good to catch up with you again, too! 🙂 Hope all is well. Maybe I\’ll see you at She Speaks this year!
Wow! What a powerful, beautiful, life-giving post! “Giving it over to His strength will lead us out of the circles we create around ourselves.” Thank you!
Thanks, Jennifer! Our circles can make us so empty!
So thankful that God does fill that emptiness – and empties us of those wounds and sins from so long ago. Thank you for sharing!
Me too, Loni! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by.
“Giving it over to His strength will lead us out of the circles we create around ourselves.”
Wow, I know I’ve created more than a few circles around me that were more like ruts. And I remember that movie!
Today, you wrote about ‘running on empty’ and I wrote about ‘running from emptiness.’ I love seeing the different angles that different writers take.
Yes, it is cool to see how we all are in the same boat about a lot of things.. but we see things differently. Helps so much with perspective.
I know I have made a few laps around the same place. Running often seems easier but we miss out on eye witness accounts of God’s ability to give us victory in our lives.
Absolutely! So glad you stopped by, Wanda!
“Running away is nothing more than trying to do it on your own.”
what a beautiful perspective, Paula!
always love the words you can shed in 5 minutes 😉 thank you!
Thanks so much, Nikki!! 🙂
Visiting from the 5 Minute Friday! I often feel like I am running, but really never going anywhere. Striving to be filled with Him!
Thanks for stopping by, Barbie!
Visiting from Five Minute Friday. Love your concept of empty, and running on empty. Thanks for sharing. Quilted blessings, Nita
Thanks Nita! So glad you stopped by. 🙂