Abiding in God when running on empty can feel impossible — yet even in our lowest moments, God invites us to remain present with Him.
Have you ever felt too tired to pray, too exhausted to watch a sermon, or too heavy to engage spiritually — yet still longed for God? You’re not alone.
Abiding in God isn’t about perfection, productivity, or polished devotion. It’s about staying present, even when life, your body, or your emotions make everything feel hard.
Recently, I found myself in this very season — a year after surviving a personal crisis, navigating chronic illness, including chronic fatigue. Spiritual practices that once felt nourishing had become heavy and effortful. Watching sermons felt impossible, yet I was still talking to God, journaling, and letting worship music play in the background. This, I realised, is part of abiding in its truest form.
Isaiah 40:29-31 – “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. … those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
What Abiding Really Means
Many people misunderstand abiding as being strong, consistent, or spiritually productive.
But abiding is not striving. It’s remaining relationally present with God, even when you don’t have the energy to “do.”
Abiding is about:
- Honesty over effort: Sharing exactly how you feel with God, even if it’s disappointment, doubt, or fatigue.
- Presence over productivity: Choosing to stay in His presence, without structured devotion or deep understanding.
- Trust without adrenaline: Feeling held without the pressure to fix, understand, or “improve” your faith.
In my own experience, this looked like saying to God, “I don’t have the capacity for anything right now, but I still want You.” It’s being vulnerable and real, which is exactly what abiding calls for.
John 15:4 – “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Why Abiding is Especially Important in Seasons of Pain
After trauma, chronic illness, or emotional crisis, your nervous system is often exhausted. Spiritual practices that once felt nourishing may feel draining.
In these seasons, abiding lets you:
- Connect without performance
- Honour your limits instead of pushing you to “do more.
- Build a faith rooted in presence, not pressure
Abiding allows God to meet you where you’re at, not where you think you should be. It doesn’t demand energy, insight, or perfection, only honesty and presence.
Even when running on empty, you are still here, and you are still held.
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness… Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power
How to Practice Abiding When You’re Tired or Struggling
Here are gentle ways to remain present with God, even when everything else feels heavy. You don’t have to do all of these; try one, or even just one line.
- Journal Honestly
Write down your emotions, prayers, and doubts. Hand them over to God without trying to fix anything.
2. Use Worship Music
Let it play softly in the background; you don’t have to focus, just be.
3. Read Short, Heartfelt Verses
One verse at a time, slowly, without expectation of memorisation or deep insight.
4. Speak Simple Truths to God
Even if it’s, “God, I don’t have the energy, but I still want You.”
5. Rest in His Presence
Sometimes abiding is simply sitting quietly and acknowledging that He’s near.
Even when your energy is low, there are ways to practice abiding in God when running on empty.
Check out ‘Discover True Rest’
6. Guided Meditation
When you can’t muster even the strength to meditate on the Word, then guided meditation is perfect. I use the Abide App; they have lots of meditations, from daily devotions to sleep ones, from 2 minutes to 30 minutes.
7. Guided Prayer
Check out our Playlist for a selection of prayers.
Psalm 23:1-3 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Psalm 121:1-2 – “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
The Truth About Abiding
Abiding doesn’t fix you or remove pain. It doesn’t mean spiritual apathy.
It means truthful presence. Faith that grows quietly beneath the surface while you heal.
This is abiding, not glamorous, not performative, but real.
Even when running on empty, you are still here — and still held.
Psalm 73:28 – “But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge…”
If you’re in a season where spiritual practice feels hard, know this: God does not require effort or perfection. He simply invites you to remain — honestly, openly, and tenderly.
You don’t have to do everything right. You don’t have to keep up appearances. You just have to stay present, and that alone is enough.
“We are human beings, not human doings. We don’t have to earn God’s presence — we simply abide.”
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