Jenn Rouse has a strong and generous heart of gold. She shares her time, talent and treasure with God, her husband, and 4 children. She spends her time serving the youth at our church and co-leads a moms Small Group. We are grateful for her friendship and today. I know you will be encouraged by her post!
Have you ever struggled with being burnt out? I know I have. Then when you try to fix it, you don’t know where to “fill your cup” so to speak?
When God created us, He made our being into 4 parts:
1. Physical
2. Emotional
3. Mental
4. Spiritual
Each part is important and crucial for our daily existence here on Earth.
We tend to let ourselves run until we are totally burnt out and the end result of that is not pleasant!
For me, I try to fix myself but I’m not really sure what part of me needs to be repaired or refilled. So I keep trying to fix the physical part but am still tired emotionally. Or I go to church to fill my spirit but my mind is so tired that I have a hard time hearing what God is saying through the message.
That has led to more frustration in my life and then it bled into the other areas and began to affect my relationships.
This year, God has been teaching me how to take care of all four parts of me.
I have a chair in my house and it has a loose leg. I have “fixed” it quite a few times but it keeps coming loose. One day my husband sat down on it and the whole chair buckled beneath him. It broke and no longer was able to do what it was made for – to be a chair.
It was like Jesus was showing me that this is what my life looks like when my four “legs” are not stable! Each part of me needs to be healthy and strong so that I can be who He created me to be and live the life He created me to live.
In the book “Four Legs of the Stool” by L. Sue Boggler, she states how each part of our being is like a stool. Each part has its own important part to stay balanced with our walk with Jesus. When we don’t take care of one part, it starts to lean on another part for support. Just like my chair, when one leg becomes loose or weak, it depends on the other 3 to support the weight to stay stable. Once that leg becomes tired the chair topples over.
Ladies, Jesus wants us to rest in him. Through the cross, you no longer have to work for your relationship with God and can let God love you. Let him work in you to restore you as you honor how he created you to be.
When you are physically tired, learn to say no.
When you are emotionally tired, take a break to do what fills your soul.
When you are spiritually tired, read the Word, Worship and spend some time with Jesus. You can lean on him for everything.
When you are mentally tired, get out of your environment and do something different.
Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to Me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you REST.”
Ladies, I want to encourage you to rest in Jesus today and take care of any part of your being that needs it so you can do the Lord’s work you are called to do!
– Jenn Rouse