Why Am I So Tired If I’m Doing the Right Things?
Read: Exodus 18
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, "Why am I so tired if I’m doing what God asked me to do?" Not tired because you’re running from God, tired because you’ve been faithful. You're showing up, you're serving, you're leading, you're helping, you're saying yes, and yet, something in you feels stretched thin.
That’s what makes Exodus 18 so honest. Moses isn’t rebelling, nor is he disobedient. He’s doing exactly what he believes he’s supposed to do: people need answers, and he’s the one God called to lead, so he carries it... all of it. From morning until evening, he sits, listens, decides, teaches, settles disputes. Day after day. If you saw him, you might even call it admirable, dedicated, committed, or faithful. But when Jethro watches it, he sees something Moses doesn’t--a man slowly wearing himself out. He says something that cuts through all of our assumptions: “What you are doing is not good.”
That’s uncomfortable, because it means you can be doing the right thing in the wrong way. You can be sincere and still headed toward exhaustion. You can love God, love people, and still be building a life that isn’t sustainable. Moses assumed that because the need was real, he had to meet it. Because he was called, he had to carry it all. And if we’re honest, we fall into the same trap. We step into responsibility, and somewhere along the way, we stop discerning what’s ours to carry and just start carrying everything. Some of that comes from pressure, some of it comes from expectation. And some of it, if we’re being real, comes from control. We tell ourselves things like, “It won’t get done right unless I do it,” or “I’ll just handle it, it’s easier that way.” But what feels easier in the moment starts to cost us over time. The weight builds. The margin disappears. The joy fades. And we end up exhausted, wondering why something that started with purpose now feels like pressure.
Jethro’s wisdom is simple, but it’s deeply spiritual. He essentially tells Moses, "you were never meant to carry this alone." He doesn’t tell him to care less. He doesn’t tell him to step away from his calling. He tells him to change how he carries it. Delegate. Raise up others. Share the burden. Not because Moses is failing, but because this is how God designed leadership to work. That’s the shift some of us need to make. Not walking away from what God has called us to do, but refusing to carry it in isolation.
There are things in your life right now that are real responsibilities, and they matter, they’re part of your calling. But not every part of the weight belongs on your shoulders alone. And if you don’t recognize that, you don’t just risk burnout. You become a bottleneck for what God wants to do through others.
When Moses finally listens, everything changes. The burden is shared. The people are cared for. And Scripture says there is peace where there was pressure. That’s not accidental. That’s alignment. So maybe the question isn’t, “Do I need to do more?” Maybe it’s, “What am I holding onto that I was never meant to carry alone?”
Who do you need to invite in?
Where do you need to release control?
What would it look like to trust that God can work through other people too?
Faithfulness doesn’t mean doing everything. It means doing what God asked of you, in the way He designed. And sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is let someone help carry the weight.
I'm praying for you today!
Take a few minutes and reflect:
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, "Why am I so tired if I’m doing what God asked me to do?" Not tired because you’re running from God, tired because you’ve been faithful. You're showing up, you're serving, you're leading, you're helping, you're saying yes, and yet, something in you feels stretched thin.
That’s what makes Exodus 18 so honest. Moses isn’t rebelling, nor is he disobedient. He’s doing exactly what he believes he’s supposed to do: people need answers, and he’s the one God called to lead, so he carries it... all of it. From morning until evening, he sits, listens, decides, teaches, settles disputes. Day after day. If you saw him, you might even call it admirable, dedicated, committed, or faithful. But when Jethro watches it, he sees something Moses doesn’t--a man slowly wearing himself out. He says something that cuts through all of our assumptions: “What you are doing is not good.”
That’s uncomfortable, because it means you can be doing the right thing in the wrong way. You can be sincere and still headed toward exhaustion. You can love God, love people, and still be building a life that isn’t sustainable. Moses assumed that because the need was real, he had to meet it. Because he was called, he had to carry it all. And if we’re honest, we fall into the same trap. We step into responsibility, and somewhere along the way, we stop discerning what’s ours to carry and just start carrying everything. Some of that comes from pressure, some of it comes from expectation. And some of it, if we’re being real, comes from control. We tell ourselves things like, “It won’t get done right unless I do it,” or “I’ll just handle it, it’s easier that way.” But what feels easier in the moment starts to cost us over time. The weight builds. The margin disappears. The joy fades. And we end up exhausted, wondering why something that started with purpose now feels like pressure.
Jethro’s wisdom is simple, but it’s deeply spiritual. He essentially tells Moses, "you were never meant to carry this alone." He doesn’t tell him to care less. He doesn’t tell him to step away from his calling. He tells him to change how he carries it. Delegate. Raise up others. Share the burden. Not because Moses is failing, but because this is how God designed leadership to work. That’s the shift some of us need to make. Not walking away from what God has called us to do, but refusing to carry it in isolation.
There are things in your life right now that are real responsibilities, and they matter, they’re part of your calling. But not every part of the weight belongs on your shoulders alone. And if you don’t recognize that, you don’t just risk burnout. You become a bottleneck for what God wants to do through others.
When Moses finally listens, everything changes. The burden is shared. The people are cared for. And Scripture says there is peace where there was pressure. That’s not accidental. That’s alignment. So maybe the question isn’t, “Do I need to do more?” Maybe it’s, “What am I holding onto that I was never meant to carry alone?”
Who do you need to invite in?
Where do you need to release control?
What would it look like to trust that God can work through other people too?
Faithfulness doesn’t mean doing everything. It means doing what God asked of you, in the way He designed. And sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is let someone help carry the weight.
I'm praying for you today!
Take a few minutes and reflect:
Where am I carrying too much?
Who do I need to invite into my life for help or counsel?
Who can I begin investing in and raising up?
Prayer Focus:
- Ask God for humility to receive wisdom
- Ask for clarity on what to release
- Ask for the right people to walk with you
- Ask for strength to carry what He has called you to carry
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