Question 1

How do I know if I am experiencing burnout?

Accepted Answer

2 Samuel 21:15When David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted.You may be experiencing burnout if you become physically exhausted as you fulfill your duties. David was worn out, and his exhaustion left him defenseless against his powerful enemy. But David’s men came to his rescue and insisted that their leader was no longer to be in the heat of the battle. Trust the support and help of others who offer to alleviate burnout.Psalm 38:8I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.You may be experiencing emotional burnout if your heart can feel nothing but sadness. Perhaps a guilty conscience has been weighing on you for too long, or a longstanding broken relationship shows no signs of reconciliation. Anything that looks and feels like burnout is a good reason to turn to God for relief.1 Kings 19:14“I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”You may be experiencing burnout if you feel despair. Although Elijah had been used in a mighty way to defeat the prophets of Baal, he had provoked the anger of the queen, who swore to kill him. Feeling alone, exhausted, and fearful, he told God how he felt. God gently rebuked him but also comforted and restored him. Burnout is sometimes a new beginning.Ecclesiastes 2:22What do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety?You may be experiencing burnout if life’s activities start to seem meaningless. Solomon responded to this feeling by realizing that God, and not our work, gives life its ultimate meaning.Psalm 69:1-2Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me.You may be experiencing burnout if your life feels overwhelming. The psalmist likened his sufferings to drowning: a vivid picture of the way life can sometimes feel unlivable. Those are times when the words “Save me, O God!” may be all we can pray.Jeremiah 45:3You have said, “I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest.”You may be experiencing burnout if you feel bitter toward God, blaming him as the source of your struggles. After God gave Jeremiah insight into the thoughts of his servant Baruch, Jeremiah warned Baruch that his life wouldn’t get easier but comforted him with the promise of God’s personal protection.

Question 2

Why are leaders in danger of burnout?

Accepted Answer

1 Kings 19:3-4Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”Leaders burn out when they make unhealthy choices under duress. Elijah not only ran away from his trouble, but he also cut himself off from help. Fortunately, God still had plans for Elijah. He still has plans for you.2 Corinthians 4:7We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.Leaders are human. They get tired, frustrated, discouraged, and confused. They also fail and sin time and again. Yet by God’s grace, our humanity does not disqualify us from serving God in all that we do. In fact, our weakness becomes the means for God to reveal his power and mercy.

Question 3

What is the antidote for burnout?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 40:28-31Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.When you are weary, trusting in the Lord is a key to renewal and refreshment. Trusting in the Lord is the patient expectation that God will give you his power and strength to persevere through life’s difficulties. He promises to help you soar like an eagle and run like a marathoner when you draw your strength from him. Trusting God may be difficult, but it is far more rewarding than giving up.Exodus 18:21-23Select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God. . . . They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice . . . then you will be able to endure the pressures.Delegate some of your workload. Delegation can ease your burden, multiply your effectiveness, and allow other people to grow. Demonstrate responsibility by choosing wise helpers who can carry out the work on your behalf.Exodus 23:12You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed.The Sabbath rest was one of the gifts God gave to his people for healthy living. When people are tired, their productivity decreases dramatically. Rest refreshes and energizes us to be more productive. Regular, consistent, weekly rest is an important part of avoiding and recovering from burnout.2 Samuel 17:28-29They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”Burnout should be met with practical responses. Here, people who appreciated David and his men took action to meet their desperate need for food and rest without being asked. Do you know someone you can pray for or for whom you could perform a practical task?1 Kings 19:5-8As [Elijah] was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” . . . So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.Like the best physician, God prescribed rest and food for his burned-out prophet, Elijah, after his life had become dangerously wearying. Take good care of your body by exercising, resting, and eating nutritious meals.Proverbs 30:1I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.God doesn’t expect us to put on a false face or to mask our feelings when we come to him. He already knows how we feel. Part of the practice of prayer is actually trusting God with our feelings, including burnout.2 Thessalonians 2:16-17May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father . . . comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.When you or others need an extra measure of endurance, pray to God for the strength to keep going. There is a spiritual strength that only God can give, and you can receive it by asking.Psalm 23:1-3The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.Rest, peace, renewal—these were images David associated with God’s constant presence in his life. Most of Psalm 23 celebrates that God was David’s everything, just like a shepherd who gives his sheep all they need. That outlook builds resistance to burnout.Matthew 11:28-29Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”When you feel burned out, it is crucial to renew your fellowship with God through Jesus. Jesus offers rest from our burdens of sin and shame the first moment we come to him, and he continues to offer rest from all our troubles over the course of our lives.Zechariah 4:6This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit.Recognizing where your ability ends and God’s power begins is an essential part of avoiding burnout. Maybe you are putting too much of a burden on your own shoulders. Remember that if God decides to accomplish something through you, there is nothing that can stop you.

Question 4

Is something wrong with me if I am burning out?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 40:29-31He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.Spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion are natural consequences of being human—even for those who give themselves wholeheartedly to God’s service. But they are not permanent conditions. Stop trying to force things to happen and start trusting his timing. Use burnout to drive you to God, not away from him.

Question 5

Does Jesus understand my burnout?

Accepted Answer

Hebrews 4:14-16Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.Jesus is human like us, and he has experienced the full range of human emotions and struggles. He dealt with burnout and found it a challenge to get adequate rest. Because he lived as one of us, he gives sympathetic mercy instead of condemnation; he offers comfort and encouragement instead of criticism.