Isaiah 40:28-31 say's,
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
We have a never-ending reservoir of peace in Jesus Christ, and the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit directing our steps in life. We have God's word - the Holy Bible, and by reading it we have a resource that teaches us the ways of God. We can speak to God because we have direct access to Him now.
What is also awesome is that we have Heaven to look forward to once we die, and there is even a promise that some of us will not see death, but will be taken in the rapture of the church straight into the presence of the Lord! We have a greater reason to rejoice than anyone else for we are the children of God! So why then do we Christians sometimes feel like we are burned out?
First of all, what exactly is burn out? Burn out is a feeling we all feel from time to time as we experience the trials of life. Have you ever felt like just throwing your hands up in the air and saying I give up? If so, then this is a part of it.
Christian burnout is somewhat different though. When a Christian runs him or herself into a state of exhaustion doing ministry work and sees failure after failure as the result of the good works that they do... this could be described as experiencing burn out. Mostly common in pastors, this "burned out" feeling usually includes feelings of apathy or loneliness.
So what can we do to protect ourselves from becoming "burned out" and maintain our emotional health?
Remember above, where I mentioned throwing your hands up in the air and saying I give up? Well, this is actually not a bad starting place. Maybe you have taken on too much and need to give some things up. Perhaps you need to delegate some tasks, or simply focus on one thing at a time.
God never intended for one person to do it all. While you have those hands up in the air and are about to give up - STOP!
You are now physically in a position of surrender! Now simply follow through and surrender it to the Lord.
You are now physically in a position of surrender! Now simply follow through and surrender it to the Lord.
Isaiah 45:12 say's,
Often when we try to go it alone and trust in our own ability, and not trust God, we only get in the way and interfere with the solution He was trying to bring about.
In Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus tells us,
However, let's not become lazy concerning the work of the Kingdom, for God has equipped us and called us to reach the world too. sometimes we forget the mighty arsenal of weapons God has given us. Let's review:
We have God's word, so if we are lacking in our study then we are only hurting ourselves. We have the advantage of prayer, but if we are not communicating with God then how will we know when we are overburdening ourselves and risking becoming burned out? Sometimes too we can get stuck into a routine and see very little or know results. This can burn us out quickly, but if we keep the lines of communication open with God, then He will show us the correct choices to make in ministry.
Remember, there is nothing too big for our God. When we are weak, He is strong! Trust in Him and keep the lines of communication open by reading His word and by prayer. He will guide you and keep you from the devil's snare of becoming burned out.
I made the earth and created man on it;it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.In other words, His hands are bigger than ours, and there is nothing that is too big for Him to handle. This is why we need to turn it over to Him and not become overwhelmed ourselves. We need to surrender from trying to do things in our own strength and depend on Him!
Often when we try to go it alone and trust in our own ability, and not trust God, we only get in the way and interfere with the solution He was trying to bring about.
In Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus tells us,
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."God wants to handle all of your worries, and He wants to take care of you. Even more so, if you are taking care of His business - that is the business of His kingdom, how much more do you think He will care for you? So, placing your complete trust in Him is the biggest thing you need to do.
However, let's not become lazy concerning the work of the Kingdom, for God has equipped us and called us to reach the world too. sometimes we forget the mighty arsenal of weapons God has given us. Let's review:
We have God's word, so if we are lacking in our study then we are only hurting ourselves. We have the advantage of prayer, but if we are not communicating with God then how will we know when we are overburdening ourselves and risking becoming burned out? Sometimes too we can get stuck into a routine and see very little or know results. This can burn us out quickly, but if we keep the lines of communication open with God, then He will show us the correct choices to make in ministry.
Remember, there is nothing too big for our God. When we are weak, He is strong! Trust in Him and keep the lines of communication open by reading His word and by prayer. He will guide you and keep you from the devil's snare of becoming burned out.
