Somewhere along the way in my educational experience, I was taught that objects in motion tend to stay in motion, and objects at rest tend to stay at rest. Well, a few days ago I learned a powerful lesson about that.

I traveled to Wyoming in a large truck. It was a long trip. On my way back, I noticed that my fuel gauge was getting low. Well, I did a quick calculation and realized I was not going to have enough fuel to get home. Well, I decided to drive on and see just how far I could get. Before long the gauge registered empty. Now, I learned a long time ago not to trust old truck gauges, so I just ignored it and drove on. The problem with that was this was a 1998 Kenworth fresh from the factory. The gauge was fine!

Well, I pushed on, after a while willing myself not to look at that gauge – trying to ignore it. Then, five miles from home, I thought I was going to make it. I stepped down on the accelerator, and instead of a responding surge of power, it choked and died. I rolled to a gradual stop on the side of the freeway.

Oh, there I was on a dark Saturday night at 10:00 stalled on the side of the freeway, going up a hill, near a bridge, with a fifty-ton truck and a diesel engine out of fuel.

Well, to make a long pathetic story shorter, it took a lot of time, effort, anxiety, and the assistance of several people to get that engine started again, and get that monster off the freeway. My carelessness needlessly endangered myself and others. Fifteen minutes at a fuel stop would have kept me in motion and saved me more than two hours of grief, extra work, and stress.

Now, the point: Once we get on the path called ‘straight and narrow’ leading back to our Father in Heaven, it is essential that we keep ourselves spiritually fueled so we can keep moving. Lingering unhappiness and discouragement are the indicators of low spiritual energy – a lack of fuel. They tell us that it’s a critical time to fuel up. How?  Through the searching of the scriptures, fervent prayer, service to others, and any other activity that will bring the Holy Spirit into our lives. I – I am a witness to this truth: Speaking literally or figuratively, it is far easier to keep yourself in motion than to get started again once you have stalled.

The Lord bless you.