I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 NKJV)

I don’t know about you, but stopping to put gas in my car is not my favorite thing. I typically wait until I hear the ding and look down to see the little gas pump light on my dashboard before I do. As long as I get more before the engine chugs to a stop, I’m good. It becomes a priority to make it to the nearest station (or if I’m daring because I know the ding means I have about twenty more miles before I run out, I might wait, cross my fingers, and pray I make it to the one I want to go to).

Maybe that sounds silly to you. You might be more like my husband – the type who gets gas when his tank is half-full. And it probably is a little ridiculous. After all, actually running out of gas is way more inconvenient than stopping for a few minutes to refuel.

But what about spiritually? Do you refuel regularly? Or do you wait until you hear the ding (the Holy Spirit prompting you) before you read your Bible? Or worse, do you ignore that prompting and later wonder why you feel out of sorts and overwhelmed?

We need to regularly refuel if we want to grow and thrive spiritually. To do that, we need to stay connected to Jesus. All of our spiritual sustenance comes from Him. As He said, we can do nothing without Him. So, here are five ways to stay close to Jesus and refill your spiritual tank.

 

1. Read God’s Word

God has revealed Himself to us in the Bible. By reading His Word, you can find out what He wants you to know. As Jesus told us, we shouldn’t live by physical bread alone “but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 NKJV).

 

2. Remember God’s faithfulness to you and to others

Did you know that your spirit can feed on God’s faithfulness? That’s what God tells us to do in Psalm 37:3 (NKJV). Take time every day to remember all of the ways God has been faithful in your life.

 

3. Pray

As you talk to God, your focus will be on Him. Speak to Him throughout your day. Ask Him for guidance. Praise Him for His provision. Stay close and in constant communication with Him.

 

4. Be obedient with the work God’s entrusted to you

There is spiritual satisfaction in doing God’s will and partnering with Him to further His kingdom. Look to Jesus as your example. As Jesus told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34 NKJV).

 

5. Fellowship

Don’t isolate yourself. Being around other believers, talking about how God has been speaking to you and working in your life, will stir up love and good works (Hebrews 10:24–25 NKJV).

So, keep your spiritual tank full. Read your Bible and pray every day. Spend time with other believers. Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. And remember all of the amazing things God has done for you as you walk by faith with Him.

 

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash