Thirdly, we can end up giving up because of burn out. We can throw so much into our calling that we end up exhausted, disillusioned, and ready to give up. We can easily become devoted to the calling, rather than the One who has called us. It’s great to be enthusiastic, committed, and passionate about what God’s called us to do, but God’s more interested in our relationship with Him. He wants us to get to know Him and stay close to Him. When our calling has taken over our desire to spend time with God, we know we need to realign our priorities. If we try to do everything on our own, however good our intentions are, we’ll struggle to have the strength to keep going. Jesus said: ‘If any remain in me and I remain in them, they produce much fruit.’ It’s only when we’re connected to Jesus that we’ll be fruitful for the kingdom. We can keep going, however tough it gets, when we rely on God’s strength rather than our own. Paul put it like this:  ^‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength’ (Philippians 4:13 NIV). And it’s true. We can do all things through Jesus. So how can we stay connected to Him? We need to make the time to read the Bible. His Word encourages us, changes us, inspires us, and strengthens us. We also need to spend time in God’s presence. A good work ethic is important, but it’s also important to stop and rest. God says: ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10 NIV). Sometimes we have to stop and put God back in His rightful place as the first in our lives. 

What Now?

Book a day in your diary to have a complete break from all work. Use the whole day to spend time reconnecting with God.