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Throughout my time in the medical field, I saw several doctors, nurses, therapists, and even students experience burnout.

They had been working so long on tasks—making sure every box was checked in Epic, every visit was coded correctly, continuing education hours were completed, and patient quotas were met for the day.

At the end of the day, they would go home and crash, knowing they had to do the same thing all over again the next day.

They were tired. It felt like no matter what they did, it was never enough.

Oftentimes, I would see a change in them when they finally reached the point of remembering why they began in the first place.

A smile on a child’s face after finishing a chemo treatment.
A hug from a woman after losing her mother.
A note from a man thanking them for giving him his life back after years of encouragement and therapy.
A little boy reaching out his hand for a high five after having his cleft lip repaired.

The why.

Often, whether it’s in our careers, marriages, or ministries, we can become so focused on performance that we forget the why—the joy that was once there, the love we once felt, the motivation, the purpose, the mission.

Have you been there?

Galatians 5:15
“Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then?”

Salvation in Christ is by faith alone, not earned by the work we do or by our performance. This was Paul’s message to the people of Galatia, and it is still God’s message to us today.

Legalism.

This is what the Judaizers were enforcing on the Gentile believers. They believed that faith in Christ was not enough—you also had to follow all the Jewish laws.

They believed that in order to truly be righteous, you had to adhere to the Law.

Legalism thrives on performance, personal supremacy, and division. It says we can earn or keep favor with God through our good works.

This is not the gospel of Jesus.

He said, “My grace is sufficient.”

Grace—getting what we do not deserve.

You don’t have to earn the love of God; you already have it. He offers us salvation through faith in Him alone.

Because Jesus alone was worthy to be the sacrifice. It was His work on the cross that paid for our sins, and He has made that gift available to all.

Rest in His love and in His finished work, my friend. And share it with someone else so they can know it too.

That’s the why.
That’s the joy.
That’s Jesus.

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