The Bible says: ‘The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.” Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out”’ (vv. 13-18 NIV). Moses was stressed to the breaking point. The Latin word for ‘stress’ means ‘to be drawn tight’. Doctors say it’s a precursor to heart attacks and strokes. There is a reason why roads have weighbridges – to ensure that lorries aren’t carrying more weight than they are constructed to haul. Moses’ father-in-law told him that he was wearing himself out. The Hebrew word for ‘wearing out’ literally means ‘to become old’. Moses was growing old before his time. If that’s happening to you, 1) shift gears and start to share the load with others, and 2) spend more time in God’s presence. ‘Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…they shall walk and not faint’ (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.