Burnout

BURNOUT

Numbers 20:1–13 NCV

1 In the first month all the people of Israel arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. 2 There was no water for the people, so they came together against Moses and Aaron. 3 They argued with Moses and said, “We should have died in front of the Lord as our brothers did. 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s people into this desert? Are we and our animals to die here? 5 Why did you bring us from Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain, figs, grapevines, or pomegranates, and there’s no water to drink!” 6 So Moses and Aaron left the people and went to the entrance of the Meeting Tent. There they bowed facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take your walking stick, and you and your brother Aaron should gather the people. Speak to that rock in front of them so that its water will flow from it. When you bring the water out from that rock, give it to the people and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the stick from in front of the Lord, as he had said. 10 Moses and Aaron gathered the people in front of the rock, and Moses said, “Now listen to me, you who turn against God! Do you want us to bring water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and hit the rock twice with his stick. Water began pouring out, and the people and their animals drank it. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe me, and because you did not honor me as holy before the people, you will not lead them into the land I will give them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites argued with the Lord and where he showed them he was holy.

1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

Burnout is emotional exhaustion. Burnout can cause you to give up on something to which you have been passionately committed.

The daily pressures of ministry can sometimes overwhelm a Christian leader and leave them feeling worn out  and without energy to carry on. With the pressures of ministerial leadership, all Christian workers are susceptible to burnout. This is true across the board for pastoral ministry, music ministry, media ministry, and youth ministry. Burnout can cause you to:

Leave your church too soon.

Quit doing what God has called you to do.

Give up on your dreams.Change your attitude and personality.

Damage your most important relationships.

Be lead to moral failure and sexual sin.

Burnout is not usually found in lazy people. Men and women who suffer burnout are usually purposeful, committed, unselfish and somewhat idealistic servants of God. Burnout often hits people who believe, commit and serve with all their heart, in the area toward which they believe God has directed their commitment and involvement.

Burnout can lead to depression, discouragement, isolation, chronic fatigue, paranoia, becoming critical and judgmental of others, martyr complex, rejection, messiah complex and a lack of inspiration in your teaching or preaching.

Symptoms of Burnout:Fatigue... frequent illnesses... sleep problems... disillusionment with work... cynicism toward people and church... sense of helplessness and hopelessness... feeling of powerless to change events... anger toward the "system"...depression and isolation... detachment from others... absenteeism... harshness in dealing with colleagues... reduced commitment to work.

Fatigue... frequent illnesses... sleep problems... disillusionment with work... cynicism toward people and church... sense of helplessness and hopelessness... feeling of powerless to change events... anger toward the "system"...depression and isolation... detachment from others... absenteeism... harshness in dealing with colleagues... reduced commitment to work.

Causes of Burnout:

Burnout is not a part of God's divine plan for your life. It happens when you get things out of order or because you are misused or abused by others.

Here are some reasons why burnout occurs:

Working too long and hard without a break.

Reaching a goal after long hard work and not having a vision or purpose to go forward from there. (Very typical after a church building program).

Feeling you are betrayed by those you are serving.

Feeling betrayed by those under whom you are serving.

Having done all you can in a position or place but not letting go or moving forward.Feeling used or not cared for.

Sin, un-confessed and un-repented.Wrong priorities in the use of time and energy. (Becoming a workaholic).Violating the weekly "Sabbath" principle.

Being on duty 24/7.Disappointment and disillusionment with a leader you have faithfully served.

Failure of a project or ministry in which you have invested of yourself very heavily.

Frustration with others.

Unfulfilled expectations of success, recognition or reward.

Lack of focus.

Energies and activities scattered in too many directions.

Trying to do the job you are not called, gifted or properly trained to do.

Working for the wrong motives.

In over your head without adequate support.

Occupying a position rather than fulfilling the call.

Prevention:

Is it possible not to experience burnout? We can develop actions to improve our attitude to prevent burnout. Here are a few:

Be aware of the potential problem with burnout.

Face the realities of the stressors and pressures of being "called" into the ministry.

Accept your limitations. Jesus was the only Messiah! We are all limited in what we can and must do. God will help you whenever you need it.

Use common sense. Think about what you are doing and how it might affect your family and those around you. How are you managing financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually? Are things getting better or worse?

Balance the important elements of your life.

Relationships are important to you.

You are not what you do but who you are!

Get a life that allows you to have a personality, friendships, have hobbies, have the ability to pay your bills and have a little fun!!! These are more important than position, projects and possessions.

Practice the "Sabbath" principle. Delegate responsibility to others so that you can have a day off. Even Jesus needed rest! God created a principle of working six days and resting one.

Deal with disappointments, offenses and betrayal of others quickly! Forgive from the heart. No one can allow anger and frustration to linger and grow. It will only lead to destruction.

Get into the aspect of ministry that you are "called" and "gifted" to do. You are unique-don't try to copy others!

Types of Burnout

Burnout can be experienced in a variety of ways. Because our bodies, souls, minds, and spirits are integrated parts of a greater whole, the following types of burnout often come together and have a compounding effect on each other:

Physical burnout 

can be triggered by a lack of exercise, physical effects of stress and sleeplessness. The overloaded schedule and stressful lives of many pastors drive them to forget exercise, eat unhealthy foods, and sleep less. When speaking on burnout from ministry, John Piper said, “Nothing brought me closer to quitting than sleeplessness.”² If left unchecked, physical burnout can cause a weakened immune system, aches and pains, a change in appetite, and feeling tired all the time.

Relational burnout 

is related to emotional burnout and can be caused by strained relationships with other church leaders and patrons. Day-after-day interactions with energy draining people make the role of a pastor or ministry leader unusually susceptible for this type of burnout. Physical exhaustion and drama between church members can make pastors isolate themselves to get a break from relationships that drain their energy.

Emotional burnout 

can be felt when a shepherd feels that they have no one to shepherd them. This type of burnout can wreak havoc on a minister’s marriage family life due to the feelings of isolation common in ministry. Emotional burnout can numb your ability have normal emotions and have a sense of failure and self-doubt.

Spiritual burnout 

felt when pastors neglect their own spiritual lives while trying to pour into the lives of others. Many pastors do not have anybody pouring into their lives and do not seek the life and strength of God for spiritual refreshment. If you don’t desire to encounter God through prayer or Scripture reading, you may be suffering from spiritual burnout!

Ministry Burnout Statistics

1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches

80% of pastors and 84% of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors

50% are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living

70% said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermonsAlmost

40% polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry

80% of pastors believe their ministry negatively affects their families

80% of pastors say they do not have sufficient time to spend with their spouse

55% of pastors receive support and accountability from a small group

45.5% of pastors have experienced burnout/depression and had to take a break from ministry

57% of pastors do not have a regularly scheduled and implemented exercise routine

Prevention:

Is it possible not to experience burnout? We can develop actions to improve our attitude to prevent burnout. Here are a few:

Be aware of the potential problem with burnout.

Face the realities of the stressors and pressures of being "called" into the ministry.

Accept your limitations. Jesus was the only Messiah! We are all limited in what we can and must do. God will help you whenever you need it.

Use common sense. Think about what you are doing and how it might affect your family and those around you. How are you managing financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually? Are things getting better or worse?

Balance the important elements of your life. Relationships are important to you. You are not what you do but who you are!

Get a life that allows you to have a personality, friendships, have hobbies, have the ability to pay your bills and have a little fun!!! These are more important than position, projects and possessions.

Practice the "Sabbath" principle. Delegate responsibility to others so that you can have a day off. Even Jesus needed rest! God created a principle of working six days and resting one.

Deal with disappointments, offenses and betrayal of others quickly! Forgive from the heart. No one can allow anger and frustration to linger and grow. It will only lead to destruction.

Get into the aspect of ministry that you are "called" and "gifted" to do. You are unique-don't try to copy others!

Scriptures to Meditate on to Remedy Burnout

Come to me, all 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.”

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

…but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.