With the odds stacked against me, I poured myself into my work with unbalanced fervor. The threat of burnout would have never entered my mind. Full of vision and a touch of naïveté, I had a calling to answer and a job to do. Nothing but full throttle ahead would be acceptable. Ready to tackle the work of starting a Church in the university town of Millersville, my expectant wife and I moved to the community in 1985.
In the first five years, our little group of seven grew to more than a hundred people and our family grew to include three children four years old and under. During the first four years of ministry, I had to work on the side to support our young family. Looking back, I now realize it was more like working two full time jobs. By the fifth year, on a very modest salary, we were able to devote full time to the ministry.
After the fifth year, we decided a vacation would be a good idea. My wife tried to convince me that two weeks would be best but I didn’t want to leave the work for that long. We settled on a week away. Occasionally, my wife reminds me of how hard it was in the early years to get me to take time off.
When we arrived at our vacation destination, I unloaded the luggage and baby paraphernalia and laid down for a rest. I will never forget what I felt at that moment. A sense of deep concern came over me when I realized how alarmingly depleted I had become. I pushed myself to a scary point of exhaustion. My wife had tried to slow me down but it took getting away for me to come to my senses. I knew I couldn’t possibly continue the pace of my life. I realized it wouldn’t be fair to my family and that I would risk burnout. My pace was not sustainable for the long run.
Some will read this and say, “Been there; done that!” Others might wonder if this describes their present condition. It’s amazing how oblivious one can be to the threat of burnout until it hits with full force. Overload comes too easily. Margin and balance are hard to maintain. Opportunities outweigh resources. The good threatens the best. A young pastor once said, “I’d rather burn out than rust out.” But a more seasoned pastor reminded the younger leader that either way you’re out.
One observer noted five signs of burnout, (1) Decreased energy -'keeping up the speed' becomes increasingly difficult; (2) feeling of failure in vocation; (3) reduced sense of reward in return for pouring so much of self into the job or project; (4) a sense of helplessness and inability to see a way out of problems; and (5) cynicism and negativism about self, others, work and the world generally.
If you’re experiencing physical depletion and fatigue; if you’ve begun to deeply question your effectiveness and battle with negative attitudes towards life and other people; if you feel a growing desire to withdraw from responsibilities and detach from people; if you experience a growing sense of hopelessness, your condition might be a case of burnout.
What should you do? When I realized my level of exhaustion, I knew several things had to change. First, I had to deflate the ego. Even though I was not egotistical, I had the wrong view of my own importance to the Church. I had to realize that the ministry does not depend on me as much as I thought. It belongs to God and I am a replaceable part of his work.
Secondly, I had to do a better job of sharing the work. I began to pray that God would bring some low maintenance, high givers (and this didn’t refer to money). We needed people who were mature and ready to share the work. I had to be selective about investing in people who desired to participate in the Church instead of devoting time to those who had no desire to serve. One of the best decisions we made was to add an associate pastor during our fifth year of ministry.
Thirdly, I learned to say no to things I didn’t really need to do. This required regular reminders from those around me and a willingness on my part to listen to them. Keeping the main thing the main thing is an ongoing battle. Simplify and prioritize has been my motto.
Finally, although many other points could be made, I had to prioritize quiet time for prayer and reflection. Those who give large amounts of themselves away must balance life with solitude and self-reflection to replenish for more giving. Opening Scripture and meeting God in His written word each day is an indispensible part of living a well-balanced and healthy life. On one occasion, Jesus said to his disciples, "Come away to a secluded place and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). This is good advice for those facing the threat of burnout.
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Steve: The problem as I see it is not burnout from too much work, but burnout from standing on a limb, unsupported. It is hard to stand on a limb without support. The support of the vine is necessary but the support of the branches is also needed. If the branches do not grow symetrically then the vine will topple due to lack of balance. I think the problem is two fold. 1) Not following the Sun (SON). 2) Some branches preventing other branches from growing where God puts them. We Christians like to prevent Christian liberty and quench the Spirit of those who don't tow the line of established protocal, methods, and traditions. When we do this, burnout affects the entire body and then we wonder why older Christians are apathetic. John Click here to reply to this post
Rest
Posted On: 03/06/08 11:11:39 AM
Age 40, CA
In Christ we have rest. How can anyone get burned out, unless they don't rest in Christ. Resting in Christ is an attitude, not a reason to be lazy or not perform at your best -- this includes delegating tasks. The church is a body -- not bodies. So, if there's work to do, the whole body does -- not just some. If people don't want to work, then they should find a church where only a few work and the rest just sit back, give their tithes and offerings and watch everyone else work. Click here to reply to this post
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