From Tapped Out to a Never-Ending Tap | 2 Kings 4

Read 2 Kings 4.

Do you ever look in the mirror and wonder what happened to that ambitious and passionate woman you used to be? In the early days, you were ready to conquer the world! You were willing to go through deserts, climb mountains, and cross oceans – wherever the Lord would lead!

With your Superwoman cape in place, you eagerly pursued perfection as a wife, mother, homemaker, business woman, ministry leader, and a vibrant pillar in the community. You were ready to take it all on!

Then, life happened…

Reality seldom measures up to expectations, does it? Those dirty diapers, the puke and snot, the never ending dishes and piles of laundry, project deadlines, and demanding husband and children, coupled with sleep deprivation, constant guilt, and lack of appreciation from the ones to whom you devoted endless hours of tireless ministry can lead to disenchantment and burn out. Add to that the unexpected problems in life, such as loss of jobs, accidents, illnesses, or financial setbacks, and that Superwoman cape doesn’t fit so comfortably anymore.

While we are at it, let’s throw in a few extra pounds, some subtle wrinkles, a few aches and pains, and lack of time for romance, and the woman in you is screaming for some attention too. When did you start to neglect her? When was the last time you did something nice just for you?

What has happened is that weariness has set in. It happens to all of us. What can we do? How do we remedy it, and what can we do to prevent it? The natural instinct is to become discouraged and just quit. Or, we often find ourselves simply surviving instead of thriving. We might drift along doing the minimum we can get by with just to get through the day.

We all know the verse: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9 KJV). It sounds so simple, but really? How do you not become weary when you are “wore slap out?” (That’s Southern for exhausted!)

Let us look at a little known story of a woman who had lost everything yet found the inspiration to keep going. We can learn much from her simple example.

Once there was a woman who lived her dream. Her husband was in full time ministry with the most famous prophet in the land, and she had two strapping sons. On the surface, she had the Facebook kind of perfection. You know what I mean. If she had Facebook at that time, you can imagine what her statuses would have been like. “Isn’t my husband a sweetie? Flowers and chocolate, and it’s not even a holiday!” “My boys finished the school year with all A’s again this year!” “My husband received another promotion and is working side by side with the great Elisha.”

You get the picture!

In 2 Kings 4, we come upon this woman at a very different stage in her life. She is known as the widow of a prophet who had served alongside the legendary prophet of prophets, Elisha. From that minuscule amount of background information about her life, we can deduce quite a bit. At this point, however, she approached Elisha in utter desperation. Her husband was now dead, and she had the sole responsibility of providing for her two sons. She had lost everything, and now creditors were coming to force her sons into slavery.

At one time, she had been a woman who served her family wholeheartedly. She had supported her husband in a rigorous, demanding ministry, and she nurtured her two sons in the fear of the Lord. Now, she was destitute, grieving, hungry, and horrified at the potential of losing her sons in the slave market.

Perhaps we find some common points in which we can relate. Just like her, we have all experienced times in which the realities of life did not comply with our dreams. We have all felt the sting of heartbreak or loss, even if we cannot claim the depths of her grief. We may not have lost all hope like she had, but we have tasted the weariness and have at least teetered on the threshold of giving up.

Elisha knew just what to do, and we can apply these principles to our own situations.

• Evaluate what you have to work with. (v.2) Elisha first asked her what she had in her house. The only thing she had was a jar of olive oil. Perhaps you feel that you don’t have much to offer, but just like her, God can use what little bit you have. Do not discount what you have to offer. Do not hide your small part thinking that it is not enough. What you have is just right for God to use!
• Accept help from others. (v.3) Elisha then told the widow to ask her neighbors for every empty jar they had. He said, “Don’t ask for just a few.” One of the surest ways to burn yourself out is to think that you have to do everything yourself without any help or input from anyone else. God has provided ample resources for us if we would just be willing to humbly accept it. Delegate some responsibilities; pray and share with brothers and sisters in the church; be willing to ask for help when you need it.
• Do what you can. (v.4) Once she had all the jars she could find, she was to go inside, lock the door, and fill all of them up from the little bottle of oil she had. She had to make the effort, using her measly portion, before she could receive her miracle. This is where it requires faith on our part. When we feel exhausted and spent, we may not feel like we have anything left to give. However, as you will see, we do not have to rely on our own strength alone. When we offer what we have, we can trust God to do the rest.
• Obey and refuse to give up. (v. 5) No matter how hopeless it seemed, she did exactly what Elisha told her to do. The phrase, “She kept pouring” tells me that she did not give up either. In every situation, obedience and tenacity are the keys to our victory. God’s Word spells out instructions for every situation in our lives, and when we follow God’s ways, we discover His very best for our lives. We must search His Word intently so that we will know what He wants us to do, and then we must make up our minds that we will not give up, no matter how difficult it gets. When we become weary, that determination will give us the strength we need to climb the next hurdle.
• Trust God to do His part. (v. 6) This is the coolest part of the story. She kept pouring and pouring, and oil just kept flowing out of that little bottle. It did not stop flowing until every single jar she had was filled to the brim. The main reason we feel drained sometimes is because we tend to rely only upon our own strength. We can get plain tapped out! Our resources are limited, but God’s supply is endless. He has everything we need if we would just learn to tap into His never-ending supply. Draw strength from Him, and He will give you the energy and renewed passion that you need to maintain Superwoman status. And, you wondered where she got all that supernatural power!  

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NIV
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NIV

• Get to work. (v.7) Once all of the jars were full, Elisha instructed her to sell the oil in order to pay all of her debts. She didn’t just sit and revel in her “oily” blessings; she used what God gave her and went to work. When we are renewed by the Holy Spirit, we are fully equipped to complete His purpose in our lives. We are able to continue the mundane and unglamorous tasks with vigor. He gives us the fortitude to continue nurturing our families, take care of our homes with excellence, excel in the workplace, and passionately serve in ministry. We can take the gifts, strength, energy, and passion He gives us and continue to work with enthusiasm and persistence.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 NIV

If you are feeling depleted right now, much like this widow, and you are tempted to throw in the towel, follow her steps in your own situation. You can be renewed, restored, and invigorated again! Your passion will return, and you will bear much fruit!

Hang in there!