Better is burnout?

I woke this morning to the gentle buzz-buzz of my cell-phone alarm. Nothing out of the ordinary. Turning it off I laid there, not wanting to get up and not having enough time to press the snooze option again.

Half asleep, I turned my attention to the Lord.

"Thank you for this verge of exhaustion. I love it. I love knowing that I rely on Your strength to get me out of bed in the morning."

Not five minutes later as I was up and about, (and much more awake) I remembered what I had prayed.

Really? "Thank you for exhaustion?" Merrie, that doesn't sound like a wise thing to say. What if the Lord decides to send even more of it your way, just because you told Him you liked it?

Before I had completely berated myself, a verse popped into my head reminding me why I was grateful for it.

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

When I have nothing else, when I've drained every last ounce of energy, when I've exhausted my store of endurance - then I am left in a place where I find Him waiting. Waiting to reach out and take my hand, waiting to carry me, to sustain, comfort and heal me.

Better is one day in that place than a thousand elsewhere.