Physical, mental, spiritual, psychological, emotional, and occupational burnout can happen to us all. We are created in the image of God, and as such, we are complex creatures, and because of this complexity, God cannot be put into a neat little box, tied with a pretty bow that is labeled, “Equation complete, and neither can we. Thankfully, there is a difference between the Creator and His creation, and that is, that, though we do not have everything figured out, He does, and is therefore, the source of our strength, as we read in Psalm 121, “I will lift my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keeps thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
To recognize burnout, there are some questions that professionals suggest we ask ourselves regularly. A few of these might include: Are you finding it hard to concentrate? Have you become cynical and critical? Do you have to drag yourself out of bed reluctantly every morning? Do you lack energy that is affecting your productivity? Are you using substances which could include food, to make yourself feel better? Are you irritable and impatient? Do you lack a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day? Do you feel disillusioned about your life? Are you experiencing unexplainable physical ailments? Have your sleep habits changed? These are questions that each of us could streamline to our own lives inserting specific details, to produce answers to the question, what is wrong with me? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, it is highly likely that you are experiencing burnout in some facet of your life. The research in this area is extensive and the articles numerous which we could explore at another time, however, the bottom line is, we will all experience this to varying degrees at some point in our lives. It is a compounding problem that if not addressed and taken care of daily, can grow much worse as time goes on.
Those who think the bible, specifically the Old Testament is antiquated, and no longer applicable to us, might want to take a second look. Though details, rituals, and circumstances have changed with time, and cultures vary, the commandment, principle, and message are the same as we see in Exodus 20:8-11 which tells us, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Here we see not only the command, but the reason and example for the command. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to do away with it. He tells us this in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil it.” We can see in the life of Christ, where he did not obey the same ceremonies of the sabbath, but he did indeed obey the principles of it. Matthew 14:23 “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” He withdrew from the chaos of life. We can also read scripture verses of him being asleep on a pillow in the boat during the storm. His disciples asked him why he was sleeping, did he not care that they were in danger. There is no mystery here, the point of the matter is that he had been walking, standing, and ministering all day and was physically exhausted.
We can see in Mark 2:23-28 how the skeptics of the day totally missed the point, the principle, and the message of the commandment. “And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore, the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” Everything spoken to us in His word is for our good. Sometimes we get to the point of exhaustion, yet we keep trying to push the limits. We never rest or take time alone as Jesus did. This is where burnout begins to creep in, and contrary to our beliefs, we are not doing anyone any good when we are not able to function properly.
Spring is a time of hope and renewal. Each year when the sun starts to shine more, and the weather begins to warm up, it gives us a renewed sense of purpose and always invigorates us. We get a boost of energy to go forth and conquer! We begin the annual task that we call, ‘spring cleaning.’ This can involve deep cleaning from the ceiling to the base boards in our homes. It can mean moving furniture to get those winter dust bunnies out, to redecorating with spring colors and designs. It could be carpet cleaning for some, and even fresh coats of paint might be applied at this time. This could also entail garden work such as raking, mowing, trimming, weeding, planting, and mulching to get that fresh look for the year. By the time a week or two is over, we will have a crisp new home and yard. However, just as we do spring cleaning in our homes on a regular basis, or should, we should also take care of this temple that He dwells in. If we do not, everything else will become a moot issue. God has created this human body, by himself, and for himself. He wants to dwell in us, and he wants our lives to bring glory to Him. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” God does not want to live in a dwelling that is filled with dirt, cobwebs, and filth. Neither does he want us to look or feel haggard, exhausted, and unable to function. If you cannot think straight, consider it an alarm and an indication to stop and regroup. Do an inventory and spring cleaning of your ‘temple.’ Do not allow your physical house to receive more attention than your spiritual one. Keep in mind, we are complex creatures, and all our being is interwoven into a smooth oiled machine, if we include rest.
Have you ever driven by a house and thought to yourself, that house has been empty for a while? How do you come to that conclusion? We do not have to go in to see that it is empty, because we can see the evidence on the outside. Everything is falling apart, dirty, broken, and overgrown. God is not wanting to be represented by tattered and torn folks. He saves us from that state, to make us new creatures and give us rest. In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus tells us, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Just because you are resting, does not mean you are quitting.
To ‘quit,’ according to the dictionary, denotes that you are giving up, walking away from, ceasing from normal, expected, or necessary action and admitting defeat. This shows a decision to permanently leave a position or situation. Quitting can be considered a narcissistic move, especially when it comes to us leaving our families or responsibilities where friends or loved ones depend upon us in some capacity. However, to ‘rest,’ is for a season and will ultimately be for the good of the whole. According to the dictionary, rest specifically denotes, a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities, to cease from action or motion, a repose, peace of mind, a brief pause. It has a beginning and an end, such as a vacation, a spa day, or a day off from work. A period of rest is often called a ‘sabbatical,’ just as God meant it to be. Once you are refreshed, you will pick up where you left off and everyone will be benefactors of your rest and relaxation. Isaiah 28:9-12 tells us that the promise of the Holy Ghost is our refreshing, and the New Testament corroborates this fact. We must learn to cast our cares upon Him. We must be proactive, deliberate, and consistent in our self-care and rest. We must learn to hit the reset button when needed.
Often, we are needing a change of mindset as seen in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Too many times we are worried about what others think. Trying to keep up with the Joneses can be exhausting in every way. We must learn to identify what we need, to get the refreshing we need to continue. Quitting should not be an option, and though it will look different for everyone, ‘not’ resting, is not an option either. The bible tells us in Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Meaning that God is not going to change His mind about what He wants you to do in your life, therefore, we cannot afford to dwell in a mindset of wanting to quit, though we may legitimately be exhausted. What is the alternative? Rest, so we can pick up where we have left off and continue in our calling. Another reason for this is that the fulfillment of our calling and purpose in life is linked to our contentment, joy, and peace of mind. There is no greater peace than when we are living in the perfect will of God, no matter how adverse the circumstances around us may seem.
God is not taken off guard when we grow weary. Psalm 103:13-14 lets us know, “Like a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” Not only does he know us well because we are His creation, but He robed himself in flesh, in the man Christ Jesus, and was tempted and tried in every way that we are. God understands from first hand experience the frailty and limitations of these earthly bodies we are in, thus the commandment to ‘keep the Sabbath holy.’ All of creation needs rest. Stop and have a conversation with a farmer sometime and he will let you know that even the land must rest to rejuvenate and replenish its minerals. This is why they rotate distinct types of crops annually because each will absorb different minerals from the soil to grow. Neither is this a foreign concept to God, in fact, it originated with Him. Leviticus 25:2-5 tells us, “And the Lord spoke unto Moses in Mount Sinai, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, when ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which grows of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.” All of creation needs rest, if for nothing else, to just stop and appreciate that, ‘it is good,’ as God did at the beginning of time.
Learning to trust that the Lord has everything under control will allow us to take the rest we need. God can use those around you to help you make it. We must learn to ask for help and accept help that is offered. If no one steps up to do things while you are gone or resting, they will certainly be waiting for you when you return, but you will have a reset mind and attitude to get the job accomplished. You have heard the expression, ‘playing opossum.’ We do not have the latitude to do this, because our enemy knows our tactics too well and is the master of deceit. We do not have the luxury to just rollover and play dead, pretend there is nothing wrong or that we are not tired and get by with it for very long. We will just be spinning our wheels, but not going anywhere. The year 2020, during the Covid pandemic, was a time when we all had to slow down and rest, whether we wanted to or not. Even now, three years later, life is not moving at the pace it was before, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. Yes, there were things we were used to, that we cannot have or do now, but we are adjusting to a new normal.
Let us embrace this time of change and assess our priorities in life. We may now have time to stop and rest and appreciate what we have that we did not have time to do in the ‘rat race’ of life a few years ago. God has given us so many blessings to enjoy. Family, friends, earthly goods, and most importantly, His word, His Spirit, and His grace. Let us bask in the refreshment that he has provided for us. He made us, and he knows what we need. Jesus said in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” And in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Burnout, whether it is physical, mental, spiritual, psychological, emotional, or occupational is a thief and will destroy you if you let it. Recognize it and nip it in the bud, through the word of God, the Spirit of God and plain old fashioned rest.I do not think thatMatthew 11:28-30 was a one-time offer. I think we should access this invitation daily, and it is worth repeating. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The shepherd boy gives us the perfect conclusion and affirmation of this thought, when he puts his version of “I’m not quitting, just resting,” into the golden nugget of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup is running over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”