Overcoming Burnout

Intro: Seargent of the Lincoln Park fire departent

 Sgt. Adam Amrozi of the Lincoln Park Fire Department died suddenly last Sunday morning (July 19th), less than 24 hours after completing a busy 24-hour shift. His death is now being reviewed as a possible line-of-duty death.

Amrozi appeared to have suffered a cardiac incident after complaining of indigestion following his shift.

 17 calls in 24 hours, that's a pretty busy shift," Prinz said. "Usually, we try to share the work if we can. In this case, with only two rigs in service and four people working, it was hard to do."

The department is reviewing Amrozi's death under what is known as the 24-hour rule, which presumes a death is line-of-duty if it occurs within 24 hours of a shift.

"If anything happens in 24 hours, it's presumed line-of-duty until proven otherwise so yes, that's why we're calling it a line-of-duty because of the stresses of both police and fire," Prinz said.

Who in here is tired this morning?

Who in here says that pretty much every morning?

When someone asks you what’s wrong, and you didn’t know anything is wrong, you just answer that you’re tired?

why is that?

Why are anxiety and exhaustion at record highs?

Why do so many Christians love Jesus but constantly feel depleted?

People assume the solution is:

a vacation

fewer responsibilities

retirement

better time management

Those things may help...

But Jesus lived one of the busiest lives imaginable—and He didn't burn out.

Why?

Because His life wasn't driven by urgency.

It was governed by communion with the Father.

Carrying TRAY Example

Work

Family

Bills

Church responsibilities

Housework

Kids' schedules

Expectations

your spouse, kids, church, yourself, work

perfectionism

people pleasing

Financial pressure

Decision fatigue

constant phone notifications

information overload

Relationship conflict

feeling distant from God

Comparison on social media

Grief

Guilt

Unanswered prayers

Fear about the future

fear of missing out

"One more request..."

"One more commitment..."

"One more responsibility..."

Burnout isn't just about doing too much; it's about living disconnected from the rhythms God designed for us. Jesus faced constant demands, yet He repeatedly withdrew to pray and intentionally rested. If we ignore those rhythms, we eventually sacrifice our effectiveness, our joy, and even our relationship with God.

"burnout is often the result of trying to live at a pace Jesus Himself refused to live."

The Problem: Burnout

Define burnout. Not simply being tired.

not spinning your tires until you smell burning rubber

it is those things, but the burnout I’m talking about is

Burnout is:

emotional exhaustion

spiritual depletion

loss of joy

cynicism

feeling empty while continuing to perform

Eventually we stop loving the people we're serving.

We stop enjoying the work God called us to.

We begin surviving instead of thriving.

Why Burnout Matters

Burnout doesn't stay personal.

It affects:

marriages

parenting

churches

workplaces

witness

physical health

We are busy

We’re overloaded and exhausted

We multitask, so much so that we are unaware we are doing so

We are always on our way to something or someplace else

How do we stop being so busy without adding more things. Pull back, Stopping

The trouble about argument is that it moves the whole struggle onto the Enemy’s own ground. He can argue too…Even if a particular train of thought can be twisted so as to end in our favour, you will find that you have been strengthening in your patient the fatal habit of attending to universal issues and withdrawing his attention from the stream of immediate sense experiences. Your business is to fix his attention on the stream. Teach him to call it “real life” and don’t let him ask what he means by “real”. … you don’t realise how enslaved they are to the pressure of the ordinary.

STREAM OF IMMEDIATE SENSE EXPERIENCE

Have you ever tried using the internet on you computer and phone

and the website freezes, stops loading, or your data service

you hit the refresh button and the page loads immediately

There’s a joke in IT tech service, that the first thing you ask when someone is having problems with a device

is asking if they have tried turning it off and on again?

Sometimes in life we go to the life specialist (God) the creator of everything

something’s not working

you are stressed

your body seems to not work the way it is supposed to

Like the IT guy on the phone,

God will often respond by offering a mental reset

rest

Examples from Scripture:

Elijah (1 Kings 19)

After the greatest victory of his ministry...

...he immediately wanted to die.

God's first response wasn't a lecture.

It was:

sleep

food

quiet

God's presence

Interesting:

God addresses Elijah's physical depletion before correcting his perspective.

1: Jesus Became Busier—but Prayed More

People assume:

Busy → Less prayer

Jesus modeled:

Busy → More prayer

Luke 5:15–16 NASB95

But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

News spread.

Crowds increased.

Everyone wanted something.

Yet...

"But Jesus often withdrew..."

Notice:

The crowds increased...

But so did His withdrawal.

He didn't sacrifice prayer because ministry expanded.

Prayer expanded because ministry expanded.

Mark 1:21–37 NASB95

They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them. When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

An exhausting day.

Teaching.

Casting out demons.

Healing until late into the night.

Everyone wants Him the next morning.

Yet before sunrise...

Jesus is praying.

The disciples are saying,

"Jesus! Everyone is looking for You!"

His response?

He's calm.

Focused.

Not reactive.

Prayer determined His schedule.

People didn't.

Application

When life gets busiest...

Prayer is usually first to disappear.

That's exactly backwards.

The moments we feel we have the least time to pray... ...are usually the moments we need prayer the most.

2: Jesus Practiced Rhythms of Rest

There are seasons in life

planting, watering, pruning, harvesting, winter

God invented Sabbath before Israel.

Before sin.

Before the Law.

Rest isn't punishment.

It's part of creation.

Genesis 2

God rested.

Not because He was tired.

Because He was establishing a rhythm.

Jesus honored this rhythm.

Mark 6:31 NASB95

And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

After the disciples return from ministry...

Jesus says:

"Come away by yourselves...and rest awhile."

Why?

Because:

"They had no leisure even to eat."

Sound familiar?

Too busy to eat.

Too busy to sleep.

Too busy to stop.

Jesus doesn't say,

"Work harder."

He says,

"Rest."

Explain:

Sabbath isn't laziness.

It's trusting God enough to stop working.

It's declaring,

"God keeps the universe running without me."

That's an act of faith.

studies have showed that regular sabbath observance has tangible benefits

decreased blood pressure

chronic pain relief

improved immune health

stronger cardiovascular system

Taking a break and resting leads to increased energy and a better mood, allowing you to enjoy life more

it imporves cognitive function

reduces stress

prevents burnout

boosts creativity by allowing your brain to rest

strengthens bonds, by allowing distance from work to let your heart grow fond

and allows you to look forward to the blessings that God has given you

such as hobbys and family

taking a step back from constant work can help you focus on what is most important in life

and fosters gratitude and contentment

It gives you something to work towards, to look forward to

3: Burnout Is Often a Trust Issue

This is where conviction lands.

Why do we refuse to stop?

Sometimes because we think:

"If I don't do it...everything falls apart."

That's pride disguised as responsibility.

Prayer says,

"God is in control."

Sabbath says,

"I believe that enough to stop."

the promise in Matthew 11:28 speaks to times when we need refreshing or renewal.

Matthew 11:28 NASB95

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Here we see Jesus giving us a conditional promise

some of his others include:

if you follow me, I will make you into something

I will give you a purpose

if you hear my words, and act on them, then I will give you give you guidance

and make you unshakable in the storm

like the house built on the rock

If you will come to me, then I will give you rest

Jesus knows our lives can become busy.

He knows that the pressures of life can get to us,

so He says “Come unto me . . . and I will give you rest.”

We could also read these words as,

“I will refresh or renew you.”

God promises a refreshing,

but we must come to Him.

That word “Come” in the Greek is deute (dyoo-teh)

it is an imperative, or command

it is a conjugation of the word “to go”

When my dogs are barking in the yard,

I yell the command come, or come here

That’s the picture here

Come here, come to me

you who are weary, who are fatigued from the work of the day

you who are heavy-laden, overburdened

there’s a connotation here in the original greek of spiritual anxiety

or to be overburdened with ceremony

I imagine the times in high school where the band was forced to be up by the stage during graduation

where we would sit in uniform and need to be presentable for the entire ceremony

or where we would be forced to march in a parade

parades are fun

but that instrument gets heavy after an hour of carrying it on your neck

4: Healthy Rhythms Produce Long-Term Faithfulness

Many people start strong.

Not everyone finishes well.

Jesus ministered roughly three years.

Never hurried.

Never frantic.

Never panicked.

Always available...

yet never controlled by demands.

Why?

Because He maintained His connection with the Father.

Paul understood this too.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NASB95

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

"Though outwardly we are wasting away..."

Yet inwardly...

renewed

day

by

day.

Renewal is daily.

Not yearly.

Not every vacation.

Daily.

Practical Applications

Instead of saying "pray more," give rhythms.

Daily

Circadian rhythms,

your body's natural 24-hour internal clock that regulates sleep and wakefulness, hormone levels, and body temperature

It is primarily controlled by a small group of cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which responds heavily to environmental cues like light and darkness

Darkness triggers melatonin production to help you sleep, while light reduces melatonin and boosts cortisol to keep you awake

Common Disruptors

Artificial Light: Screen time or bright lights late at night confuse your internal clock.

Irregular Schedules: Shift work, late nights, or frequent travel across time zones (jet lag) disrupt the cycle.

Habits: Inconsistent meal times and lack of natural daylight weaken daily rhythms

Begin with God before beginning with your phone.

Five intentional minutes is better than none.

Many of us do devotions in the morning, but it’s not enough

By midday, we have complete forgot about God in the bustle of life

Momentary Lapse in memory….

Paul challenges us to Pray Continuously

Pray Now story

The daily office challenges us to be WITH God 2 to 4 times a day

It literally means the “work of God”

We know David practiced set times of Prayer seven times a day

Psalm 119:164–165 NASB95

Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous ordinances. Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.

Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10

Daniel 6:10 NASB95

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before

We know Jesus prayed early in the mornings, sometimes all night

WHY more than once a day?

So that when I am active the other parts of the day, I am attentive to God and His voice.

It can be 2 minutes to 20 minutes or more

What’s important is “Practicing the presence of God”

4 elements of the daily office

Stopping

Centering

Elijah

Scripture

Use an aid or the bible app

Something is better than nothing

Weekly

Protect a Sabbath.

Worship.

Rest.

Delight.

Put work down.

Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word that means “to cease, to stop working.”

Refers to doing nothing related to work for a twenty-four hour period each week

Radical in our culture

How stores used to be closed on sundays

While not on par with murder or adultury, it is still a ten commandment

Commandments communicate God’s heart

slaves

Look at the amount of space given to the Sabbath, and keep in mind God wrote this with his own hand

every other commandment gets one verse, which is often fairly short.

Sabbath gets three

And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below….

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Two extremes of views

Sabbath is irrelevant and there is no need to bother with it at all.

If you don’t keep Sabbath, God is angry and it is like you have comited murder

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for thinking like this

Mark 2:27- The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath

Mark 2:27 NASB95

Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

It is a gift from God we are called to receive

Balanced Sabbath keeping is a core spiritual discipline

We are saved by Jesus!, not by praying or reading the Bible or keeping the Sabbath

God doesn’t love us more if we do certain things

However, if we don’t do those things, we probably aren’t growing very much

Paul said in romans 14 that one day would do as well as another for a sabbath,

Be deliberate, intentional and dedicated

My sabbath keeping

Part of the Sabbath is preparation time

Four principles of Sabbath STOP Rest Delight Contemplate

-Vacation from vacation

Story of Christian community moving from St. Lewis to Oregon

Sickness as a forced sabbath

Seasonally

Take vacations.

Retreat.

Disconnect.

Constantly

Learn to say no.

Every yes is a no to something else.

Jesus said no regularly.

Memorable Contrast

The world says:

Hustle until you collapse.

Jesus says:

Abide so you can bear fruit.

The world rewards productivity.

God rewards faithfulness.

Conclusion

Return to Matthew 11:28–30

Matthew 11:28–30 NASB95

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus doesn't merely offer relief.

He offers a different way of living.

Notice the progression:

Come.

Learn.

Take My yoke.

Find rest.

Not because life gets easier...

but because you're carrying it with Him.

Closing Challenge

Burnout isn't simply the result of having too much to do.

It's the result of trying to carry life's demands without the rhythms God designed to sustain us.

Jesus experienced relentless pressure, constant interruptions, and overwhelming expectations,

yet He remained spiritually healthy because He consistently withdrew to pray and embraced rhythms of rest.

If we neglect those same practices, we may accomplish more in the short term,

but we will lose endurance, joy, and intimacy with God in the long term.

Ask three questions:

What pace are you living at?

When was the last time you truly withdrew to be alone with God?

If Jesus needed regular prayer and rest, what makes you think you don't?