Do you feel burned out or overwhelmed by life and the challenges it is presenting? Are you desiring to do more for the Lord but always seem to be low on energy? Are you lacking in a desire to serve? I’ve been there, and it truly a tough place to be in. God was merciful and helped me out and here are the 4 things I did to get back on track.
Rest
I can’t stress to you the importance of rest. There is a time for everything. A time to work extremely hard and a time to slow down, and the more we are able to understand these times, the better off we’ll be. You feeling overwhelmed may be your body telling you that you need to stop and rest.
If you happen to be a little bit of a workaholic like me, this can be really hard. You may be tempted to feel as though you are slacking or not doing enough, but I’ve come to learn that rest is a blessing from the Lord and an act of my faith in him and his works. Sweet sleep is reserved for those he loves, don’t deprive yourself any longer.
Psalm 127:1-2 (AMP)
Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.
Reflect
What exactly are you feeling? Overwhelmed? Burdened? Tired? Distant? During your time of rest journal down what exactly is caused you to feel burnt out. Being aware of your emotions and what is causing the additional stress is the first step in eliminating the problem. Maybe you’ve been taking on too many responsibilities at work, or you’ve been spending to much time on your studies that you end up cramming everything else in.
Identify the problem areas and then you can begin to move forward.
Regroup
You’ve been knocked down a little bit, mentally, physically and spiritually but it’s time to get yourself together again. Come up with an action plan about what you will do differently and how you will guard against allowing burn-outs to reoccur. They absolutely do not have to become a normal part of your life.
What commitments do you need to take less of an active role in? What may the Lord be calling you to step away from for a season? What burden are you carrying that you have no business carrying?
Upon reflection, I often notice that the burden I have chosen to carry is much greater than the one the Lord intended for me to carry, this may also be the case for you. Pray about these things and review your commitments with God.
Mathew 11:28-30 (NKJV)
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Restart
You’ve rested. You’ve got a plan. You’ve prayed and your decisions, and have decided on how much you can commit to in this season. Now it’s time to put it into action by faith and obedience.
Get started with the things you know you need to be doing again, but this time go at God’s pace. Let his timing become your timing – his yes your yes and his no your no. Allow his strength to drive you, and also restrain you.
One thing I’m learning more and more by the day is that this Christian life is not an easy 100m sprint, it is a lifelong marathon that requires endurance, consistent progress, commitment and regular self-examination. You want to be it in the long-haul so walk like that daily and remember to look alone to God for strength and sufficiency.
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Do you have any more tips on how you recover from burnout? Drop them in the comments section below!
Grace & Peace
Joanne
Joanne Olayinka 