Sources of Energy
Season after the Epiphany 2025
Where do you get your energy? Healthy food and rest, sure. But what else gives you energy? And how long does that energy last? I shared in my sermon last week about a pastor in my women’s clergy group who observed the importance of making sure you’re drawing from “the right well.” Drawing from a well of finite things will not sustain you. Caffeine, sugar, and other sources of energy are finite. The effects wear off. Even long-term energy sources like protein are still finite. They last longer than the minutes or hours of short-term bursts from sugar rushes, but they still will not last the day.
The “right” well is a well of living water, a well that never runs dry, that stays continually tapped into the divine flow. Jesus refers to such a well in John 4 in his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the Jacob’s well. He says, “those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman, of course, then asks for this water. Wouldn’t you?
This water is available to us as well, regardless of what we call it. Rather than a deep well in one location, I’d rather think of it as something we can access in many places. Perhaps it’s more like water bottle refill stations, which are becoming more ubiquitous. Another analogy might be as a divine flow, as a ribbon of energy in the air. That last image, to me, makes it feel more infinite, unending, and accessible.
When you can draw from “the right well” almost anywhere, then it’s helpful to name the places that you find it easier to access. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere of a crowd at a concert when everyone is singing along. Maybe it’s the energy at a ball game. Nature is a common spot for many people, whether out for a walk or picnic, or simply standing in the sunshine for a minute. I understand that for extroverts, being around other people can bring you energy and exhilarate you. Sometimes it’s simply having a comfy spot to rest and do nothing else.
In seminary, going to Morning Prayer before classes began was what anchored me. I was irritable on days that I didn’t make it to the chapel in time. For the past year, writing morning pages anchors me. I want my morning writing time; time to write about whatever crosses my brain at the beginning of the day. I’ve recently started adding a short walk as well, and have been reminded of the idea that you have to spend energy in order to gain more energy. You may not want to go somewhere, or spend energy on an activity that does not seem productive. However, doing so can often lead to more energy, once you get moving.
Questions to consider: Where do you easily find energy? Where are you reluctant to find energy?