“Only Jesus Keeps the Cup Full”

Months ago, at Target, I saw a woman dash straight for the Stanley cups. Limited edition. Special color. She grabbed two, all while looking like she was running on empty herself. I couldn't help but notice—not just her focus on the cups—but the emptiness I saw behind her eyes. It hit me: we'll fight for a water bottle. We'll set restock alarms. We'll spend $45 to keep our drinks cold all day. But our souls? We let them run dry for weeks, even months, without refilling.

If you've been a Christian for a long time—or even just a little while—you've probably heard the phrase "empty cup." We can't pour from what's empty. And yet, so often, we try.

Stanley cups have become a whole phenomenon. Different colors. Limited editions. Charms dangling off the handles. Straw toppers. Stickers. Whole personalities built around "my cup." People love them because they keep their drinks cold and close at hand all day long. But here's the part that hit me: no matter how decorated or cute the cup is, it's useless if it's empty. It doesn't matter how many accessories you clip to it, how trendy the color, or how much you spent. If the inside is empty, it's just a hollow container.

And that's the perfect picture of us sometimes.

We dress up the outside. We accessorize our lives. We try to match the moment—our outfits, our emotions, our energy. We decorate the outside so well that people think we're full. We show up. We smile. We post. We perform. But inside? Some days we're running on E. Emotionally drained. Spiritually dry. Overwhelmed by pouring into everyone else. Stretched thin by expectations we never agreed to carry. Keeping it together on the outside while completely empty on the inside. Just like Stanley, the outside doesn't fix the empty inside. Only refilling does.

And here's what we forget: we're so good at keeping our water bottles clean. We wash them. We refill them throughout the day. We protect that routine. But our souls? We run them into the ground and wonder why we feel hollow.

God isn't impressed by our hustle, our performance, or how put-together we look. He doesn't care about the accessories. He cares about what's inside us. And here's the beautiful part: He wants to fill us. Not with more to do, not with pressure to be better—but with Himself.

With peace when everything feels chaotic. With rest when we're running on fumes. With the strength we didn't generate ourselves. With joy that doesn't depend on circumstances. With clarity when we can't see the next step. With His presence, when we feel alone.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul"— Psalm 23:2-3

An empty cup can't pour into anyone else. And a decorated cup doesn't automatically stay full. It has to be refilled. Intentionally. Regularly. Without apology. That means time in His Word. Time in prayer—real prayer, not just crisis hotline conversations. Time in worship. Time in stillness, which feels impossible but is precisely what we need. Time letting Him speak instead of us performing.

Treat your time with God the way people treat their Stanley routine—protective of it, consistent with it, unapologetic about the refill, and fiercely prioritized even when it's inconvenient. Guard it like a treasure, show up for it daily, and never let distractions steal it away. Stop worrying about how your cup looks on the outside and start caring deeply about what's actually inside. Pour energy and intention into being refilled by God, with the same passion, persistence, and dedication we pour into customizing, collecting, and maintaining our water bottles.

Set boundaries that protect your time with Him. Say no without guilt. Carve out moments for quiet, worship, and prayer. Don't compare your cup to anyone else's, don't measure your worth by how much you pour out for others, but by how deeply you allow Him to fill you. Let God's peace saturate your soul, His joy replace your exhaustion, and His presence restore your clarity and your strength.

Sisters, as women who push to our limits—moms whose lives don't wait to let us be refilled—we pour because we love. We pour because our hearts are resilient and tender, our responsibilities call us, and our families are watching. Sometimes survival instincts kick in, and we tell ourselves we are Superwoman. But hear this truth today: just because you can pour when you're empty doesn't mean you're meant to live that way. Your ability to show up while exhausted is not your identity. It's not the standard. It's not the expectation. It's simply a testament to your heart.

Yes, you have dug into reserves you didn't know existed. Yes, you have found the strength you didn't realize you had. Yes, you have shown up on days you felt you had nothing left. But you still deserve to be refilled. You still need rest. You still need care. You still need support. You still need God to pour back into you. Because love may reach deeper than exhaustion—but your soul still deserves replenishing. You are not just a cup for others. You are a person God longs to fill.

Remember this: no person, possession, profession, or position can fill the cup of a wounded, empty heart. That emptiness—the kind that aches in the quiet moments, the kind that no amount of hustle can touch—can only be filled by God. Live through that lens, and let everything you do flow from the overflow He gives you. Overflow reminded me of a truth I want to make my own: some people see the cup as half full, some see it as half empty, but a child of God says, “My cup runs over.” Overflowing, not striving. Filled, not frantic. Rested, not running on empty.

So today, choose the refill. Choose the quiet moment. Choose the slow breath. Choose the pause your soul has been begging for. Open your heart. Let Him pour. Let Him steady what's shaky, fill what's empty, soften what's tense, and renew what's worn thin. Don't live dehydrated when Living Water is right in front of you. Ask yourself gently: what in my life needs a refill from Him today? Patience? Peace? Joy? Strength? Clarity? Hope? Tenderness? Rest?

Bring that empty cup to Him—not with shame, but with expectation. A Stanley may keep your drink cold, but only Jesus keeps your cup full.  Overflow starts with HIM, live from the overflow. And let everything you do—every word, every action, every interaction—flow from the fullness only He can provide.