This is a funny topic for a mother of 4 and business owner. Am I burnt out… or am I burning? I simply asked God, “What is the difference?” Without adding any titles such as wife, mother, sister, aunt, worker, taxi, mediocre chef, etc., and even without all the “hats” we wear as humans, I think it is easy to say we are all a little burnt out.

I believe that God put a very simple concept on my heart. When I use my own “fuel” per se, I am constantly burnt out. However, when I depend on God’s fuel, it’s interesting how that kind of “burning” doesn’t lead to burn out. I can continue burning when I lean on Him, when I focus on Him, when my intentions and morals line up with His.

What exactly am I talking about? Well, it didn’t really dawn on me either until my Bible app pulled up the scripture of the day, which was Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV). “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it.” That to me was the connection. When I choose the wide gate—which can look like keeping up with the Joneses, superficial Facebook posts, keeping myself so busy so I can earn respect or equality—I fully believe that this burn out comes from the wide path of acceptance most of us are desperately trying to earn. As we do so, we are losing our character and the things that make us unique because we are focused on the wrong things. In my own life, when I have focused on Jesus, on peace beyond understanding that only comes from Him, my true joy rests in the fact that all of this is temporary, regardless of how painful or blissful it is. “Temporary” means that this too shall pass. I remember that I don’t have to take everything so seriously because my Father already has it figured out and is looking out for me in every aspect. I recall that it was never truly me who provided for myself, but God through opportunities. I remember these characters and stories passed down in the Bible that God provided for me as encouragement to keep going. When I consider all of these things, how can I deny that very power of God lives in me?

Traveling that narrow path is hard and narrow and uncomfortable sometimes, but I believe that remaining on the narrow path will lead me into the big, beautiful field I was promised. My Promise Land.

See, my husband and I discipline our children, make them study, do chores, play outside, and more for them to have balance, structure, etc. My oldest child is about to drive, and she will be paying her own car insurance. Implementing all the aforementioned values often call for hard decisions and, as her mother, I can see what I am trying to instill for her and her future through those choices: good work ethic, balancing money and time, etc. My daughter, however, sees a very unfair and unrealistic way. Well, I believe God was saying the same thing to me.

“Steph, if you could focus on Me and not worry about things above your pay grade or things beyond your vision, you would feel more comfortable on that narrow path.”

I’m someone who worries about the ‘who’s and the ‘what’s and the ‘when’s. And you know what? I’m tired of being lukewarm in my walk. I want to walk that narrow path because I would rather walk it with the Lord than walk the wide path without Him. I believe at the end of that wide path there is destruction, like in Hansel and Gretel when they get to the candy house and there’s a witch ready and waiting to kill them. I believe the world has been falsely advertising this “exciting” pathway that truly leads to destruction of the heart and mind. Ask me how I know. Getting lost on the wrong path is no fun, and it sure makes you grateful when you find the right way home again. Our flesh will take that detour time and time again, but God is always leaving trails for us to get back on that narrow path.

The burn out is exhausting and not God’s intention for my life; so, I believe that by avoiding the wide path of destruction we avoid burn out. Keep faithful to this narrow path; it has fresh air.