And if this is the way You deal with me, kill me, I pray You, at once, and be granting me a favor and let me not see my wretchedness [in the failure of all my efforts]. – Numbers 11:15, Amplified Bible (AMP)

There are times when serving The Lord just wears you out. You’re goin’ and blowin’ at breakneck speed, working your fingers to the bone because you KNOW that is what God has called you to do. Still, even when you’re doing exactly what God wants you to do, the service can wear you down. 

So, what should you do when God’s service has taken you to your limits? Here’s a quick checklist to help you keep everything in perspective.

1. Realize you are not alone. Even the greatest heroes of the Bible got worn out from time to time. Moses, for example, got so fed up with his duties that, in Numbers 11:15, he more or less told God, “I’m a failure. Just kill me.”
2. Ask God for help. God responded to Moses’ depressed state, not by killing him, but by offering him help. When the burden of service is too much for us to bear, we need to acknowledge it and ask God to supply us with helpers to carry the load.
3. Accept God’s help. A lot of times pride prompts us to resist asking for help. We credit ourselves with superhuman strength, and if we ask for help, we see ourselves as admitting that we can’t do everything. If Moses had taken this stand, he would never have accepted God’s help, and he would have faded into a state of complete uselessness. If we take such a stand, so will we. Ditch the pride. Ask God for help!
4. Understand there are seasons of service. In Numbers 8:24-26, the Bible describes the Levites’ service in the tabernacle as “warfare.” Many of the Levites’ wilderness tasks were physically taxing, so God limited their heavy service to twenty-five years – between the ages of 25 and 50. After the age of 50, the Levites retired from the “warfare” of God’s service, although they were to continue serving God in less taxing ways. If you are in a period of “taxing service,” take heart. There will come a time when God will exchange your heavier burdern for a lighter one. Until then, bear the burden you have obediently and without grumbling. 

Serving The Lord is the greatest privilege you can ever have. When that service starts to tear you down, however, take a break. Commune with God about the checklist above, and let Him refresh you and aid you as only He knows how.

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