As Christians, we cling strongly to faith and belief. We think that as long as believe enough, pray enough, do enough ministry or give enough that God will always supply us with abundant blessing and strength. But the sad reality is sometimes people who believe, act and pray can still fall into burn out.
Falling out of the faith, backsliding or stepping down - it's been called many things, but the core is the same. We lose our drive and will to keep going for God. We do everything according to the "good book" and believe with all our might, but it's just not enough.
That's because it's not about us. It's about God and His unlimited supply of everything we need. When we "do" Christianity like it's nothing more than a role to fulfil, we are more prone to burn-out. It could be happening to you right now. Here are five subtle signs that burn-out might be creeping in and how your faith and trust solely in God can help to fix that.
Complacency
When expectations are unmet and failure happens, we tend to lose drive. As a result we settle for less than what God has promised us. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." There is hope in Christ and when we put our faith in that instead of our own ability, we can fight burn out and keep going.
Lack of self-control
When you're burning out, you might find yourself getting angry and frustrated more or not wanting to get up in the morning. The Spirit of God brings a fruit of self-control and self-discipline (Galatians 5:23). When we rely on the Holy Spirit, we will naturally turn to self-drive and self-control and be able to find a way out of burn-out.
Chronic Tiredness
All the vacations have been taken and you sleep ten hours a day, but you still feel tired. Maybe what you need is not physical rest, but rest for your soul. Jesus invites us to give us His burdens and trust in Him and promises in Matthew 11:29 "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."
Hopelessness
We all need hope to cling on to to keep going. Hope is what gives us a vision of what could be if we keep pressing on. And there is no hope greater than the hope found in Christ. The best part about it is that it's free for anyone who simply wants to receive. There's no need to work for it.
No enjoyment
Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, "...And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Sometimes you might feel that joy has been sucked out of you by the pressures and strains of life, but the good news is that there's always more where that came from. We can and will find joy in our Lord and He will give us strength through it.
