As I’ve become older, I’ve been able to look back at my life and understand why God allowed certain things to happen. It’s like watching a puzzle come together and seeing how each piece equipped me for His calling and purpose for my life.

For me, part of my calling has been child welfare advocacy and reform. God used my love for children to catapult me smack dab into the middle of some of the most heart-wrenching circumstances. As difficult as it is, there is great satisfaction and joy in knowing I’m doing what he assigned me to do, at least for this season.

I must admit though, recently this assignment has felt like a heavy burden. New families call weekly, each one requiring a great deal of compassion, energy, and advocacy. Besides helping families, there is so much research to do, conversations to have with fellow advocates, phone calls to educate and bring along support, leaders to identify who will help, and meetings to organize and attend. My energy has been waning. There just wasn’t enough of me to go around, especially when I throw in six precious grandchildren, three adult children, a husband, a house, and some ongoing health issues.

It had been a long day so as I hit SEND on my last email, I pushed away from my computer, ready to take a break. As I did, my eyes landed on my Bible. I felt a longing, so I opened it to where I’d left off and read Exodus 18. A smile came across my face as I realized God had once again aligned His Word directly over my current circumstances.

Exodus 18:17-24 shares the story of Jethro, father-in-law to Moses. As Jethro watched Moses work, Jethro said, “This is no way to go about it. You’ll burn out, and the people right along with you. This is way too much for you; you can’t do this alone. Now listen to me.” Jethro encouraged Moses to identify leaders to help with the work and finished with: “If you handle the work this way, you’ll have the strength to carry out whatever God commands you, and the people will flourish also. Moses listened to the counsel of his father-in-law and did everything he said.” (MSG).

It couldn’t have been clearer. I knew the time had come to start shifting some things in life so my calling didn’t have such a staggering weight. It was time to listen and make whatever changes God might have me make.

In our hurry scurry society, we often take on more than we should. Sometimes we don’t listen to the counsel of others. Pride or fatigue can keep us propped in a place or mindset that needs to be released. Yet, even Moses, a man of God, needed counsel and was wise enough to listen and respond.

Perhaps we have a Jethro in our lives who cares enough to speak wisdom over us. If so, are we humbling ourselves to hear their words of wisdom? If we don’t have a Jethro, we still have the Scriptures that are as relevant today as when they were written. We need to be people who listen to the advice of those who honor the Word of God and follow Him. For without wise counsel, we, nor the people around us, can flourish.