I was using all of my gifts, all of my abilities, being busy, living, creating, and doing. I lived and breathed my career and I lived for my kids, going to bed at 2 a.m. and waking at 6 a.m. just to do it all over again.
Burn Out. There had to be more.
That’s when I prayed, “Lord, something needs to change. I want to change. Use me.”
Here’s the thing, we grow up dreaming of the perfect career, the white picket fence, prince charming and cute kids all the while saying “Jesus, yes of course I love you more than anything but please don’t touch this area of my life. In fact bless it this way…” But then God smiles while thinking, “Many are the plans in the mind of man, but my purpose will prevail.”
And then he says, “Are you sure? Because I have something much better for you.” And he whispers: “Do you love me enough to go where I send you? Do you love me enough to give me your dreams while I give you a new purpose?”
And that’s how I found myself sobbing in front more than one hundred women when the speaker cupped my face, wiped my tears and said, “There’s no shame in what you’re doing. There’s no shame in going where you’re called.” It turns out BURN OUT is one of such gifts. And it’s like that for most gifts wrapped in ugly packaging. The image that stands out the most is Jesus. Newborn, wrapped in strips of dirty cloth and laying in a cattle stall. Other ugly packages come to mind:
Loneliness—a chance to seek Him.
Labor—a child.
Mistakes—a chance to grow.
Failure—a chance to begin again.
Burn Out—a chance find a fresh perspective.
The manger, the cross and the tomb—Jesus and Salvation.
Yes…sometimes even the ugliest of circumstances, the ugliest of packages has something beautiful within. I don’t know what path you’re walking but I want to take you in my arms, cup your face and tell you “Face it with fresh eyes, His eyes. Chances are—you just might find the gift within.”
