Thou Shall Not Burn Out: Rest For Your Weary Soul

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

– Matthew 25:6-10 NIV

Are you feeling burnt out?

Reading through the story of the ten virgins in the Bible, something caught my attention.

The Bible records that the wise virgins had their lamps full of oil at the time the bridegroom came in the dead of the night, but the foolish ones had no oil left. 

I thought, “How wicked of the wise virgins!  Could they not even have spared just a little oil for their friends? That’s not fair at all! We should be our brother’s keeper – oh well, sister in this instance”.

Has that thought ever crossed your mind? I didn’t even have to dwell on it for too long before the author of the Bible gave me my answer.

“There won’t be enough for you and for us…”

Take a pause. Think about that for a minute.

How many times have you put others before you repeatedly until you feel like you are burning out or even burnt out?

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Even the Bible permits you to give yourself a priority, so you don’t burn out. You alone are responsible for the oil in your lamp, and you cannot keep giving until you burn out. 

Anytime there’s a tussle between you and others, as it relates to guarding your oil, you win – you are a priority. You can’t give what you do not have.

The Bible calls the other five virgins foolish – don’t be like them!

Choose wisdom by taking time for yourself, keeping your oil level at maximum always. Take time to refill and replenish – make it a deliberate effort.

A lot of times, whatever does not get planned does not happen. The people around you may not give you the chance, you need to take that for yourself. 

Decide today that you are a priority, and you will not burn out.

Prayer Moment

Father, I thank You for loving me enough to open my eyes to the reality that I am a priority. I confess that I may have acted like the foolish virgins in the past by not making time for myself. 

Today, I ask for Your wisdom to put my priorities in place and make time for myself. I will make room in my life for times of rest, refreshing, and rejuvenation. 

Wherever I may be placing too much of a burden on myself, I release that burden to You today. Help me to trust You enough to rest in Your grace in Jesus’ name – Amen

Love,

Oluseye Ashiru