There have been many times when I felt burned out from all the tasks I had to do, but the most difficult times came from parenting. Remember never being able to sleep with a new baby? How about colic? Or getting off work after a midnight shift and going home to watch the kids? Work, kids, household chores... oh, and God wants us to do what? With what time? And that's on top of devotions, prayer, Bible study and church? No wonder many of us get burned out!
.jpg)
.jpg)
If you take two same size jars, equally divided walnuts (in shell) and dry rice, and then fill the jars in specific ways, there is an interesting lesson. The walnuts represent the things God wants us to do and the rice is our daily tasks. Fill jar 1 with all the tasks (rice) you do every day first and then try to fit in what God wants you to do (nuts) and you can't fit them all in or close the lid. Fill jar 2 with what God wants you to do (nuts) first and then pour the tasks (rice) in and watch as all the walnuts and the rice fit in. See, when we put God first and what He wants, then the other things will eventually get done.
A lot of times we get burned out because we are trying to fit everything in instead of doing what God wants first. In His will, He helps us with our tasks. Sometimes they may get done by others, by us at different times or they just don't seem important anymore. Many good Christians with strong ministry callings have been burned out by doing too much- more than God wants them to do. We should seek God first and see what He wants us to do.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Mt. 6:33
Moses was well on the way to being burned out having to sit all day and be judge to the people as well as lead them, seek God's will, etc. Who knows why God chose to use Jethro, but after seeing Moses overextending himself, Jethro advised Moses to set up righteous judges for smaller matters. This was a sharing of the burden and gave Moses needed rest or time to focus more on God's will for His people.
And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that you do is not good. You will surely wear away, both you and this people that is with you. For this thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it alone. Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you. Ex. 18:17-19
God will be with us where ever we go whether we are in His will or not. God will bless us and give us His strength and help when we choose His will over our own. It is NOT God's will for us to be burned out but to get the rest He knows we need in between doing His will. Our candle should only be burning the way He wants it to. He IS the Light after all...