When you're tired, don't quit.

Hey there! It has been a long time since I have wanted or felt led to write a blogpost. Life has been super crazy with two teenagers and their activities as well as our wonderful church activities and my normal job. I am thankful the Lord has allowed us to be in my hometown during this season of life. It has been a joy to see family on a regular basis. Anywhoo....here it goes :).

I want to discuss a topic that I think we tend to shy away from, yet most of us have probably experienced it a time or two. Burnout. Being overworked while simultaneously being under appreciated. I probably won't have the same thoughts around this topic as most in our world today, so bear with me please.

First, I want us (myself included) to remember it is not about us. We spend WAY too much time focused on ourselves and how situations affect us. We are constantly thinking about what this or that is going to do to us while we should be focused on those around us and how we can be a living sacrifice in our daily lives in service to our Lord and Savior. This might seem harsh, but God never tells us in Scripture to focus on our self care or achieving an ample amount of free time for our mental health. Never. He does however, call us to die to self DAILY and FOLLOW Him.

Second, we don't have to do this in our own strength! Halleluiah! In Colossians 1, Paul is writing to the church in Colaossae and encouraging them by telling them he is praying for them and in those prayers he is asking that they be filled with knowledge and wisdom so they can walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him. Here it is in Colossians 1:9-11. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.

So how do we please the Lord? According to this verse, we do so by bearing fruit in every good work and growing in our knowledge of God. This should be our heart's cry. Bearing good fruit for our good Father. He says right there in verse 11 that we are strengthened by God's glorious power. Nothing we do apart from God is good. He provides the ability and the strength to achieve all the good works He has planned for us. Isn't that amazing! We can continue pressing on with whatever ministry we are involved in (or add another), knowing that God's power is what sustains us and reminds us that it isn't about us.

Lastly, when we do this, we increase our endurance. We are able to handle more. We are able to more easily set aside ourselves for the sake of others. We also grow in the area of patience. Can't we all use a bit more of that? :) But notice that last phrase of v.11 - with joy. It is a joy and an honor to serve our Master and Savior. Anytime we think otherwise, we are wrong. Scripture is always right, even when our feelings don't match. It is a JOY to work for the Lord, even when no one notices. Even when we've had to do the same job over and over and no one helps. He sees all things and He promises to provide you strength according to His glorious might!

So my friends, I encourage you that when you are tired and are edging towards quitting or just simply focusing on yourself too much. Stop. Renew your thinking and remind yourself where the power comes from. Remind yourself why you should desire to bear good fruit in your life. Replace self focused thoughts that are only on how something is affecting your life and replace them with God-honoring others focused thoughts. Don't quit. Endure. Grow. Till next time. Love you all.