Burnout is when you feel like Bilbo at the beginning of The Lord of the Rings:
I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread
It is utter exhaustion, usually caused by excessive long-term stress. The diagram contains a list of symptoms.
The Bible doesn’t use the word burnout, so how can the Bible show us how to respond? Here are 4 suggestions.
Don’t Do Everything
I would argue that Moses was on the path towards burnout when he was leading Israel. His father-in-law, Jethro, highlighted it to him:
Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone’
Exodus 18: 17-18
So often we need other people to point out that we have taken on too much! It is particularly easy in Christian ministry, where there is always another person to care for and another problem to solve.
In this case, Jethro advised Moses to delegate.
Similarly, in our own lives, we should find people who will watch out for us – and then we should listen to them.
We must keep remembering that we are not Jesus. It is not our job to heal everyone. Do what you can with the time God has given you. You can delegate where appropriate. More importantly, trust it all into God’s hands rather than your own. This is infinitely easier said than done, but we do have God’s Spirit to guide us!
Don’t Stress
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Luke 12: 25-26
It’s a famous passage, because we need it so much. Everything is in God’s hands, and those hands are infinitely more capable than our own. So pray it into His hands. Lay your burdens down at Jesus’ feet and pray for the peace that passes all understanding.
Do Value Physical Rest
God created the world in 6 days, and on the seventh day He… Rested. If God can rest, surely you can too.
When Elijah reached the end of his ability to cope, God sent him an angel with bread and water (1 Kings 19). It was only once Elijah had slept well and was full of food that God sent him off again.
We can sometimes undervalue the need for rest. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human. Just the way God intended.
Do Seek Help
If these steps to care for yourself don’t work, please seek the help of a professional. There is no shame in not being able to cope. It is our body’s way of telling us something needs to change, so please listen to your body