Burnout, Meet Barry Allen by PLo

The Flash is by far one of my favourite superhero shows. In university, I would book the tv in my dorm’s commons room every week to watch it live.

I like the Flash for a lot of reasons, but the biggest reason for me is that Barry was honest about his strengths. He learned the hard way what he could do and what he couldn’t.

In season 6 episode 15, Barry is faced with the reality that his powers aren’t as strong as he needs them to be and they are fading. Barry doesn’t believe he will be able to help the city because of how burnt out he is. This is when Iris tells him:

“Barry, it's like you're stuck on this idea that the Flash is supposed to be limitless, but metas are the ones that have limits. I mean, think about it. Where would the Ringmaster be without his rings? Or Cicada without that dagger? Even Reverse-Flash and Sunshine, they... they have their limits.”

When I am playing Destiny solo, before I go into a big battle I will make sure my abilities are recharged, even if that means sitting and waiting a few minutes. This is sorta what God means when He tells us to be still in Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (NKJV)

Not that we would rest in video games, but in our lives.

Most people with my genetic condition will have at least one mobility aid by the time they turn 30. And at the age of 28, I now have two. I’m extremely blessed to have my cane and wheelchair, but I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t disappointed in myself for needing them. I could just not use them, but that would end up making things so much more difficult for myself. I’ve learned my limits, (quite honestly through the hard way), and in order for me to have the best quality of life I can, I need to live within them.

When God asks for a burnt offering, He’s not asking for you to burn yourself out. He wants what’s best for you. He wants you to thrive, not just survive. And in order to do that, sometimes we need to take that time to rest and be still. Take that time to remind yourself just how big your God is. He will recharge you for your next battle, whether that be a test at school or an evil meta-human.

Despite his limits, Barry still took down the bad guys. Despite our limits, we still win in the end too. I want to challenge you to take some time this week to spend with God and to rest with Him. And then pay attention to what you can accomplish afterward. I’ll leave you with the Message translation of Psalm 46:8-10, which says:

“Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth
Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee.
"Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything."”

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