I recently heard a friend say, “burnout is just an empty pot on the burner” and thought how true! Burnout is not a new concept. Even Elijah prayed, “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life” (1 Kings 19:4). Avoiding burnout as a Christian is possible and it begins with spending time with God: in His Word, in worship, and in prayer. Attending to your spiritual health and growth is key to avoiding burnout. Here are a few things Christians can do in order to avoid burnout. Ironically, did you know that the word Christian is only used three times in the Bible in Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16, but the word disciple is used 294 times (g3101 as the masculine noun mathētēs 269 times, g3129 as the verb manthanō 25 times).
Avoiding Burnout
Keep the Sabbath
God knew what He was doing when he commanded us to keep the Sabbath. The purpose of the Sabbath is to rest, reflect, and replenish. Be sure to set aside time weekly for rest, worship, and things that you enjoy. Your to-do list can wait.
‘Every Sabbath day this bread must be laid out before the Lord as a gift from the Israelites; it is an ongoing expression of the eternal covenant. The loaves of bread will belong to Aaron and his descendants, who must eat them in a sacred place, for they are most holy. It is the permanent right of the priests to claim this portion of the special gifts presented to the Lord .” Leviticus 24:8-9
Sabbath is not just a command or a rite (social custom or conventional act). It is an ongoing expression of the eternal covenant and reminder of the permanent RIGHT of the priests to claim the portion fo special gifts presented to the Lord. We, as followers of christ, are that royal priesthood according to 1 Peter 2:9.
‘But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. ‘
When we fail to Sabbath, we tend to forget not only the blessings that the covenant carries but the rights that are permanently ours.
Strengthen Your Soul
Spending time in reading, worship, and prayer are important to the health of your soul. Establish a time each day for worship, prayer, and Bible Study. For the most part, faith traditions give different meanings to the words spirit. Most would say spirit to mean the part of you that connects to the divine and soul to mean the part of you that encompasses your mind, emotions, and personality or is the essence of who you are as an individual. When I use the word, I use it similarly to how John Ortberg uses it in Soul Keeping. It is the integration of a your mind, will, and body — it’s that deepest part of you is that connects you to God. And much like a fitness routine, it requires intentionality in strengthening.
I shared in my Embracing Silence in God’s Presence article how I chose to scoot a bit closer to the Lord and just enjoy the opportunity to be with Him without any expectation but to be WITH Him. Sitting with Jesus in the still of the morning or the quiet of the evening has come to be some of my favorite parts of the day.
Of course, I listen to scads of audiobooks and continue read and do other devotions. I’ll share more on some of my favorites of those, too. But honestly, just reading the Word and leaning into His presence have been so nourishing for my soul.
I’ve recently loved Ruth Haley Barton’s Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership so much that I bought multiple copies to gift to other women in ministry leadership that I love dearly.
Fuel the Body
It is important to fuel your body properly also. Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest and exercise are important for your physical health.
Set Healthy Boundaries
Building margin into your life is key to avoiding burnout. Ask God to help you evaluate and set your priorities. Then learn the art of saying no. Saying yes to all the good things will keep you from giving your best to the ones that line up with your priorities.. Eliminate the unnecessary things that suck your time and energy from your schedule.
Avoiding burnout out is not complex when you commit to spend time with God on a regular basis and set boundaries that protect your time and priorities.
