Emptying the Tank: When We Bring Our Splashy Mess to God

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Unwrapping Rest podcast.

I’m Dawn Tolbert, your host, and I encourage frazzled women to break free from striving and unwrap God’s gift of rest.

I’m so glad you’re here today.

Every morning, I begin my workday with the same routine.

I unlock the door to my office, drop my keys and purse on my desk, and head straight to the dehumidifier in the far corner.

I’m lucky enough to work in a wonderful hundred-year-old stone building complex that I lovingly refer to as the first castle on the right. But those beautiful stone walls love to hold on to moisture, and our humid Georgia weather is always happy to provide a constant supply.

So my typical day begins not with a computer boot-up, but with a water pour-out.

I wrestle the reservoir from the dehumidifier and carefully make my way down the hall to the large sink in the janitor’s closet.

This daily task sprang to mind when I read Psalm 62:8:

“Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

If I don’t tackle the chore of emptying the water regularly, it can grow stagnant, and my office may become unbearably oppressive.

That’s not unlike my heart when I don’t pour out my feelings to God and ask Him to dry up the murky, boggy places that have appeared.

The dance of the dehumidifier is a delicate balance.

On one hand, I must walk carefully and slowly as I move down the hall so I don’t splash water everywhere and make a royal mess.

But once I reach the deep sink that’s capable of handling the outflow, I can release the water quickly and completely.

My feelings are like that too.

When I struggle under the weight of striving and trying to do everything in my own strength, I’m almost certain to make a splashy mess.

Just yesterday at work, I found myself spinning into a frenzy because of everything on my to-do list.

Things simply weren’t getting done as quickly as I thought they should.

So I splashed messy frustration all over my coworkers—and throughout my own internal dialogue as well.

Water, water everywhere, and none of it was healing or cleansing.

What was missing was the next step on our path to rest.

Before we get there, let’s quickly recap the first two steps.

The R in R.E.S.T. reminds us to Realize we were designed for something different than all of this rushing and hurriedness.

We were made for relationship with God and given the right to become His children when we put our faith in Jesus.

The E teaches us to Evaluate our circumstances by the eternal.

Once we’ve done these things, we’re ready for the next step.

The letter S reminds us to Stop Striving and Surrender by submitting to God’s supreme authority.

When I realize His timing is perfect and the path He has planned for me is better than the one I might try to force on my own, I can rest.

I can take the heavy load of my emotions, my to-do list, and my spun-up anxiety and pour it out before God.

He’s not afraid of the mess.

And I’ll be much more pleasant to be around when I’ve allowed Him to deal with the gunk that’s accumulated in my heart.

This verse in Psalms also tells us that God is our refuge.

A refuge certainly provides shelter, but I think it offers so much more than that.

God protects us from the storms that rage around us.

When we come to Him and pour out our hearts, we admit our need for Him and surrender control.

Even if our circumstances don’t change, we can rest securely because we are tucked beneath the wings of a Father who loves us deeply.

So today—and every day—I encourage both you and me to surrender.

Stop striving in your own strength and truly accept God’s gift of rest.

We weren’t made to walk through life carrying reservoirs of stagnant water in our souls.

Pour it out before Him and trust Him to work all things together for your good.

Let’s pray.

Lord, help us trust You with the burdens we carry.

Remind us again and again that we can pour out our hearts to You—the One who designed us, created us, and loves us best.

Help us live in Your rest as we find true refuge in You.

Amen.

Thank you for joining me.

Have a wonderful week.