be filled to the brim.

When I think about a Thursday kind of faith, I think of the boring kind of faith. The kind of faith where you do things that you’re not really sure matter. It’s not that exciting. And also sometimes it looks like crying to your roommate on the couch because you’re so irritated with the process. (Is that just me?)

Thursdays are the kind of days where I ask God, “Can I just have the thing already?” Because I feel like I have nothing left. My tank runs emptier on a Thursday, and I’m tempted to believe that just getting whatever it is I’m waiting for will make everything better. My focus tends to shift from the Giver of good things to the good thing. To arriving, instead of enjoying.

A few weeks ago, I read an article in an issue of the Magnolia Journal about a family taking a road trip. The point was about how to not just survive and arrive, but to thrive along the way. You know, enjoying the journey and all that. This line at the end stuck out to me: “We have arrived, filled to the brim with how we got there.”

Filled to the brim with how we got there.

I get this picture in my mind of arriving at a friend’s house after a long day of travel. When she opens the door to greet me, I’m energetic and excited – filled to the brim – as I hug her. I’m ready for our time together. It hits different to think about arriving exhausted, collapsing into her arms, and asking if I can take a quick nap before we do anything else.

I think about this a lot on the days I feel really done with waiting. I use it as a reminder to rest and keep going, because I don’t want to arrive empty and depleted. When you do that, when you crawl your way through the waiting, and arriving feels like the success, you end up using the thing you’re waiting for as something to lift you up and fill you up. But that’s not what it’s for.

I want to arrive full. I want to be ready to step into the next thing and fully enjoy it, rather than feeling like I need a nap once I get there.

Feeling exhausted from the waiting is often a reminder for me to put in the effort to be filled up now. Sometimes it looks like taking a nap. Sometimes it looks like having a mini praise party/dance party at random intervals throughout the day. Sometimes it looks like doing something spontaneous and fun. Or sometimes it looks like being quiet in the presence of God, remembering that in His presence is the fullness of joy.

Whatever fills you to the brim, add some of that into your day today.

The power of God is in you, even on a Thursday.