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What is fuelling us in life? (6 October)

The thought this week has been written by Graeme Ross, EBA Regional Minister.

We’ve been reminded in recent days how fuel dependent we are. We have seen hoarding with people filling jerry cans and other people driving around, using what little fuel they have in the hope that they might fill their tank. We have seen gridlocked roads caused by vehicles trying to get into petrol stations and even people arguing and fighting over fuel.

The government are telling us that there is plenty of fuel in the UK and that the problem is getting it out to the stations where it can be accessed by the people who need it. As I have thought about this, I have been wondering what fuels us as people and whether or not our supply is plentiful?

What is fuelling us in life?

Jesus is the bread of life (John 6.35) and the Holy Spirit is given to us as living water (John 7.39). God’s presence can empower us and give us renewed strength (Isaiah 40.31) and rest (Psalm 62.1). With all of this on offer, why are there times in our lives when we try to live and serve God in our own strength?

Encouragement can give us a fuel for life. I am encouraged when I hear about what God is doing and yesterday in the EBA Facebook Group, pictures were shared of Light of Life, Ormesby celebrating Baptisms in the sea. There were also pictures of Erica Bowler being inducted as a missional listener in Purfleet and the story of what God is doing in Purfleet is an exciting one. Encouragement is something we can give freely, whether it is us sharing stories of what God is doing, getting in touch with someone or offering to help someone in need. Who can we encourage today?

Love and Kindness and are essential for life. In a world that can be harsh, abrupt and where things are often done in a transactional way, actions that are loving and kind are a wonderful breath of fresh air. I still remember the time, several years ago when an elderly lady gave me her shopping trolley in a supermarket. I had arrived without a pound for the trolley (oops), and I ended up carrying two baskets and trying to keep hold of a toddler who was desperate to run around and cause mayhem. That small act of kindness meant the world to me and as I think about it, I am reminded that small things can make a huge difference. Who can we share loving kindness with today? Often, we need to slow down, so we can prayerfully look around us for those in need of kindness. Are we willing to do this?

We are really going to struggle in life without proper rest and self-care. When I was starting out in ministry in the late 90’s, it felt to me that there was a culture amongst ministers of celebrating overworking and the ‘I’ve worked more hours than you game’ only just came second to the ‘I’ve got more members than you’ game that was, very sadly, often played at ministers’ meetings. Several years ago, our family life was such a struggle that the church I was serving agreed that my hours should be capped at a maximum of 40 hours a week. One of the strange things that happened when I slowed down was that I became more productive because I was often working from a place of rest rather than a place of exhaustion. How can we prioritise rest and self-care? How can we encourage others to do the same?

Friendships and relationships are also essential. We were created for community  and we need to ensure that we are not isolated and alone. How are you making time in life to meet with others?

All of these different ‘fuels’ are things that we have and that we can chose to share with others. Will we be spiritual tankers offering to others what we have freely received from God?

What else fuels us in life? We will share a link to this article on the EBA Facebook Page and we would love for you to share your thoughts in the comments section under this link.