Do Not Burn Out – Part 1/3
“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6)
Pastor Rowland Croucher writes: ‘The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…“playing it safe” to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).’
Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means
a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus,
b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks,
c) never losing sight of the people behind the work,
d) never taking your position for granted,
e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority,
f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven,
g) having a servant’s heart,
h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and
i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things.
Practice these principles and you won’t burn out.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me change some personal habits so that I do not Burn Out. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
ITTT
This was very good and very well written. I’m going to print it out and keep it to heart, remembering that God’s leading is above all. Thank you!
Coincidence? I was reading Luke 17:7-10 about the Master telling the servant to make his dinner when the servant came back from working in the field. The master didn’t thank him and serve the servant dinner first. And in 10 says So likewise you when you have done all those things you were commanded say, ‘ we are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” This is JESUS TALKING here. …. I am not a leader but a layman. The Lord spoke to me last Good Friday to serve the church I am in and don’t know how. I volunteered for 3 things and was not contacted back. Last Sunday I prayed and found a car key in the bathroom of this huge 4 story church. I brought it to the security team I also listened to a lady in Bible class sitting next to me about her personal struggles at work recently and sympathized. It’s Tuesday and I get the feeling serve as a layman in little things not big things is what I am to do . Thank you for this again timely message for me personally.