Unburden Yourselfნიმუში

Worldly ambition is a burden.

There’s a fine line between doing the things that need doing to meet our obligations, bills, and responsibilities and always wanting more. What satisfied you five years ago may seem like a “small beginning” that you now despise.

The house fits everyone fine, and nothing major is broken, but it’d be better to be in a different neighborhood, and the kitchen isn’t quite white enough, new enough, or “functional” enough. Never mind the oven, fridge, freezer, and stove all work well.

With more opportunity can come more pressure. Maybe I shouldn’t just “be a mom.” Everyone can make money online now! I should start a side hustle. Since I can work flexibly, I should take on more hours so I can upgrade our life. I’ll get up at 4:30 a.m. and stay up until midnight to build passive income.

Opportunities themselves can feel like a burden. Constantly thinking you should do more, be more, have more, and aim higher can crush you. If it doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough! Go big or go home! YOLO!

But where is God in this? Who has time to cultivate a spiritual life, connect with our children, do family devotions, or serve and love others when we are obsessed with our investments and square footage?

Working with excellence and diligence with the skills and gifts God has given us can feel satisfying, but working ourselves into the ground to materially advance our situation feels relentless.

Be unburdened by seeking the Kingdom first.