I did not enter this year exhausted because life demanded too much. I entered tired because I agreed to too much without pausing to listen.
Last year was not marked by crisis or chaos. It was marked by accumulation. One commitment stacked on top of another. One event, one responsibility, one extra yes after another. None of it dramatic. All of it draining. And slowly, without noticing, my calendar became fuller than my capacity.
This reflection is not about regret. It is about release.
When Faith Turns Into Overextension
There is a subtle way faith can slide into overextension. It happens when availability replaces discernment, and responsibility is taken on before it is ever asked for. I told myself I was being helpful, faithful, and dependable, but underneath that was a quiet fear of missing out or letting people down. I stepped in early, handled logistics, and filled gaps that were never assigned to me.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is “a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). I lived as if every season required my full participation. It does not. Wisdom is knowing when presence matters more than performance.
Writer Parker Palmer once said, “Before you can know what you are called to do, you must know who you are called to be.” Last year, I spent more time being useful than being attentive. That imbalance eventually shows up in the body.
Choosing Trust Over Control
I noticed I was proving instead of trusting when I moved into action before prayer. I relied on my ability to manage rather than inviting God into the process. That self-reliance looked capable on the outside, but it quietly fed pride and exhaustion. I was solving problems alone that were meant to be shared.
The belief I am releasing this year is simple and costly:
I am done believing that faith requires me to carry everything myself.
Jesus offers a different rhythm when He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Rest was never meant to be optional. It was always part of the invitation.
Author Ruth Haley Barton writes, “The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it is who you become.” Control may produce outcomes, but trust produces alignment.
Soul Insights
1. Over-scheduling often disguises itself as devotion.
When I looked honestly at my calendar, I saw fear underneath my yes. Fear of missing out. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of appearing less committed. Devotion rooted in fear will always drain instead of sustain.
2. Faith does not require self-reliance.
There is a difference between responsibility and over-responsibility. When I assume I must handle everything, I quietly remove God and others from the process. Faith grows when I allow space for shared strength.
3. Control is costly even when things go well.
Managing every detail left me physically present but mentally elsewhere. I was always anticipating the next task instead of engaging the moment in front of me. Presence cannot survive in a constant state of management.
4. Shared effort deepens connection.
When I allow others to contribute, something shifts. The burden lightens and joy increases. Inviting participation is not weakness. It is an acknowledgment that community was always part of the design.
5. Rest is a spiritual discipline, not a reward.
I no longer want rest to come only after depletion. Rest keeps my heart receptive and my judgment clear. Proverbs reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5), and that trust requires space.
Final Thoughts
This year, I am releasing the need to prove my faith through exhaustion. I am choosing discernment over accumulation and prayer over preemptive action. Some things will not be done by me, and that is not failure. That is alignment.
Trust does not require me to carry everything.
It asks me to carry what is mine.
Your Turn
As you move through this new year, ask yourself honestly:
What responsibilities are you carrying that were never meant to be held alone?
What would shift if you trusted God enough to set them down?
By the way…
While you’re here, I’d love for you to explore my book 17 Syllables of Me and visit my website, SoulPath Insights.
Thank you for taking the time to read! 🤗
© 2026 Amelie Chambord
Soul Path Insights 
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