It can happen so fast. Any one of us can fall into the trap. We start out with the best of intentions—hearts full of passion, minds set on purpose—but before we know it, we’re running on fumes. We wake up one day and realize we’re living out of the leftovers instead of the overflow.
I know this all too well. I’ve slipped into that joyless, disconnected routine more times than I care to admit. I’m not talking about falling into sin, rebellion, or disobedience. No, I’m still on my assignment, and I have no plans of quitting. But what I am talking about is that subtle drift—the slow fade—when you’re still doing the work but without the same fire. The motions are there, but the meaning is missing.
It reminds me of Peter’s exasperation in Luke 5:5:
“Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.”
Can you relate? When you’re putting in the effort but seeing no fruit? Or worse—when you’re bearing fruit but no longer enjoying the labor? Ministry, work, relationships—they become hollow, a shadow of what they once were. You’re busy, but you’re barren.
But here’s the good news: there is a way back. Every time I find myself in this place, I’ve discovered an answer that never fails. It’s simple but profound. The key to living in the overflow is this: our first call in life is to know God.
The Root of Overflow
In John 17:3, Jesus defines eternal life with striking simplicity:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
There it is. Eternal life isn’t just about heaven someday—it’s about knowing Him today. Intimacy with God is the starting point, the root system, from which all true life flows.
Jesus illustrates this beautifully in John 15:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Nothing. Not some things. Not less. Nothing.
So many of us, though, have replaced intimacy with activity. We’re busy doing for God, but we’re not being with God. And when that happens, we start living off of the leftovers—our reserves quickly depleted—rather than from the abundance of His presence.
But you were made for more. You were made to live from the overflow.
Created for Relationship
Even before sin entered the picture, God declared something “not good.” In Genesis 2:18, He said:
“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
Yes, this refers to God creating Eve as Adam’s partner, but it reveals a deeper truth about human nature: we were not designed to do life alone.
Think about it: in a perfect world—before brokenness, toil, and pain—it was still not good for man to be alone. Why? Because we were made for relationship. And more than that, we were made for intimacy with God.
Genesis 3:8 gives us a glimpse into the closeness Adam and Eve once enjoyed:
“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”
Can you imagine? God walking with them, talking with them—fellowshipping with them. This is what we were made for. This is our original design.
When we lose sight of that intimacy, we begin to drift. We get consumed by doing, rather than being. We start looking to the world for what only His presence can provide. But the abundant life—the life of overflow—is found in walking with God daily, just as Adam once did.
The Call to Be With Him
When Jesus called the twelve apostles, He didn’t just give them a mission—He gave them relationship. Mark 3:13-15 describes their calling:
“And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.”
Did you catch that? Before they were sent out, before they were given power, their first call was to be with Him. Ministry was meant to flow from relationship, not replace it.
Later, in Acts 4:13, after Peter and John healed the lame man at the Gate Beautiful, the Pharisees made an astonishing observation:
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
Their power came not from their credentials but from their connection. They were living out of the overflow, and it showed.
The Overflow-Fueled Life
Throughout Scripture, we see this pattern—those who lived in the overflow of God’s presence were the ones who changed the world.
Consider Isaiah. His prophetic ministry was launched from an overflow moment. In Isaiah 6, he saw the Lord high and lifted up. The revelation of God’s glory undid him. And from that place, he heard the call:
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
Isaiah didn’t hesitate:
“Here am I; send me.”
His calling flowed from his encounter.
Or think of the Song of Solomon, a poetic picture of intimacy. In chapter 1, the bride says:
“Draw me after you and let us run together!”
Notice the order: first intimacy, then movement. First, she is drawn close. Then, she runs with Him.
Even Jesus Himself modeled this lifestyle. He frequently withdrew to quiet places to pray. The Son of God—the Word made flesh—lived from the overflow of intimacy with the Father. Shouldn’t we do the same?
Living in the Overflow
So, what does it look like to live in the overflow? It looks like a life where intimacy fuels everything. It looks like serving from a place of being filled, not running on empty. It’s the difference between carrying water from a stagnant well or from a rushing river.
Here’s the hard question we must all ask: Do I know God, or do I just know about Him?
There’s a difference between processing information and living in relationship. Theology is beautiful and necessary, but it cannot replace intimacy.
When we live from the overflow, we can boldly declare:
“I am in Christ, and Christ is in me.”
From that place of union, ministry becomes fruitful. Work becomes meaningful. Relationships become rich. Life becomes abundant.
The beauty of living in the overflow is that you don’t have to strive—you simply stay connected to the Source. Like branches abiding in the Vine, you will naturally bear fruit. Your cup will not just be full—it will overflow.
So today, step away from the hustle. Put down the busyness. Return to your first love. Rediscover the joy of simply being with Him. Because when you live from the overflow, everything else flows with it.
