Are You Running on Empty?

Have you heard the term "Running on fumes?"  There are a lot of people like that out there, they keep their vehicle on the road until the gas tank is nearly empty and sometimes it does run empty.  A fairly dangerous practice up here where the winters can get too cold for you to walk a long distance.
Well, we are very similar to our vehicles.  On a full tank we feel like we can conquer the world, but on empty?  Not so much.
Recently I read the love languages book by Gary Chapman and it's been interesting.
There are 5 love languages that we all speak or want to receive from others, words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.
After taking the love language test available on their website, which is free for anyone to do, I was not surprised at what my love language was.  I was surprised, however, by the intensity of that score.  I barely have a second language!  I also realized that this is why I'm so content and happy in my home.  My husband is genuinely fluent in my love language!
So, I got more curious about this whole language thing and I began to search for languages that extend out into the world. Do we have other ways that we may unknowingly expect the outside world to communicate with us?  Because it seems as though lately I've been running on fumes outside my home.
So, I purchased the audio book, the Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace also by Gary Chapman.  Another very good read and again I took the test online, this one is not free unless you purchase the book.  It's called the MBA Inventory or Motivating by Appreciation Inventory.  And again, I was not surprised by what my MBA language was, but what was shocking, again, was the intensity of it.  My second language barely made the charts and what also surprised me was the revelation of my second language. My understanding of how I had been feeling lately were starting to fall into place, it's one of those 'aha' moments, as Oprah would say.
It was simple, my tank was nearly depleted and because of that I was becoming distant and frustrated, shutting myself out from the people around me because I don't know how to cope with a nearly empty tank.
Today, around 5:30a.m. I was praying about various things and then at the end I began listening.  I know I have that backwards, I should listen first, but, let's not get lost in the details of right and wrong, after all it's pretty early in the morning!
Anyway, I was listening and as the tears rolled God brought the information that I had read back to my mind, He reminded me of the tests I had taken. I kept listening, hoping that He would reveal to me how I could refuel my own tank.  But, that's not where He was going with this.  He didn't have to tell me where I was at, because we both had the answer to that, so I thought, OK, what am I missing here?
I kept listening, because I truly believed that He was going to give me the right answers.  OK, by 'right' I mean the answers I wanted to hear, but, that's not the direction He was going either and I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.  He always has to keep reminding me that it's not about me.
He challenged me to look beyond what I need and start looking around to what others around me need.  And yes, I did the selfish thing and asked the question, "But, what about me?" How can I help people around me to feel loved and appreciated when I myself am running on fumes?
Trust Me.
So, I took a deep breath and said, "I'm tired and discouraged"
So are the rest.
"I feel as though I can't do anything right"
Others feel the same way.
"I feel disrespected"
So, now you can understand others better.
"I'm hurt and tired"
Look around you.
OK, so I wasn't going to win this argument.
So, I stopped and listened again. And this is what I learned early this morning from a God who loves me, understands me and speaks my language better than anyone.
It's easy to find others who can help you to fuel your tank and you don't need to do anything to make that happen, that's not the hard part.  The hard part is being aware of what others around you need. As much as you search for a certain way to feel appreciated and loved, how many others are there around you whose language is off the charts who are looking for their tanks to be filled so they can feel as though they are cared for, strengthened, loved or even that you just notice them?  And guess what, not everyone's MBA is the same as yours!
Oh boy, that's exactly how I was treating everyone, as though they were the same as me. I assumed that because my MBA or my love language was off the charts in one direction that this was the language that everyone around me could identify with.  It's not. In fact, I probably have people running on fumes all around me and I don't even know it.
So, my new assignment?  Pray.  Pray for direction.  Pray for discernment. And pray hard. Pray for the people around me and ask God how I can discern what they need from me to begin refueling their tanks and somehow I have a feeling that through it all that God will make sure that on this journey of discovery that I will not be running on empty!
He's pretty good that way!! :)

Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.  Luke 6:31-33