I've learnt a few things along the way in this journey called life. One of the most valuable, and toughest, lessons I've learnt is that you can't draw from an empty well.
If you are drained, if you are burdened and emotionally, physically or spiritually exhausted, you can not feed into the lives of others. Certainly not in a positive, healthy way. You can't give out something you don't have.
So that means, when you're devoid of the peace, patience and energy you need for yourself, to keep yourself mentally and emotionally healthy, you certainly can't expect to try and dole these out to those around you.
The main reason I believe that our wells become empty is that we try to obtain the peace, patience, love, compassion etc from within ourselves as if we are some never ending fount of unceasing resources. But the truth is we are not, and we can't keep dredging a well that is empty.
Sure, we can take time out, recharge our batteries so to speak, but our own wells are actually quite like batteries - things use them up pretty quickly. They need constant recharging, and the problem is, we often don't get the sufficient time we need to recharge them fully. No sooner have I filled my well and I find I'm dredging the bottom again!
What we need is another well we can draw from that never runs dry. Drawing from someone else's well isn't enough - they will soon find their well running dry. We need an endless supply; but we need something on hand to reach into to supply us with these things we need anytime we need them. We always seem to look to ourselves to find enough peace, love, compassion, forgiveness, and it's completely futile. We simply do not have within us what we need.
Fortunately, there's something outside of ourselves that is available to us to avail to our need. It is the never ending water of life - Jesus.
John 4 v 14 says that "whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life". We can have "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, it will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4 v 7)
Galatians 5 v 22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."
Notice how these are all the things we quickly run out of or find hard to practise when life is draining us? God is fully aware of our limitations and there's a supply for our every need!
We aren't expected to do this life in our own strength. It's a partnership with God. Just like you wouldn't expect your spouse to do all the chores, all the parenting, take care of all the financial business, plan every family event, do all the loving, all the worrying, and take all the emotional strain alone. You share the responsibilities, share the tasks, share the concerns, share the parenting, share the pain, share the joys...it's meant to be a team event! Kudos to single parents who have to do all this alone. This wasn't the design or the plan.
Life was designed to be a team event with God. Mankind has become so insular, so self-reliant and self sufficient, we are always looking to do everything in our own strength and power, when we actually need to be drawing from the ultimate power source: Jesus. There's nothing that can provide what He provides, no relaxation technique, no drug, to treatment, no perfect remedy. Everything wears out, wears off, or is simply a fleeting panacea.
Draw from the never ending well of His love, mercy and strength today, and ask Him for the peace that surpasses all understanding.