More often than we think, God's Word stands in direct opposition to what we naturally think. Every person understands how it feels to be fatigued and physically exhausted. The combination of sleeping or eating poorly coupled with hard work simply wipes us out. The lack of rest can make us drowsy, sluggish, and cranky. There is a limit to what our bodies can handle, and too much stress can lead to becoming physically ill or having a nervous breakdown. When Moses embraced the responsibility of leading the children of Israel, his father-in-law Jethro saw the warning signs of overwork. Exodus 18:18 records his perception, "Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself." The threat of burnout didn't cause Moses to quit, but to delegate some of his workload to other men anointed by the Spirit for such ministry.
Many people who serve in church ministry have experienced the crash-and-burn effect of overwork. But the scripture makes it clear being "worn out" occurs when we are out of line with the will of God. God kept the clothes and shoes of the children of Israel from wearing out as they were led by Him in the wilderness for 40 years! Sometimes "burnout" is a phrase used to justify laziness; other times men refuse to heed the wisdom of Jethro and throw themselves headlong into the work because of proud ambition, thinking themselves impervious to breakdown. They neglect a Sabbath rest. They do not trust the work of God to be done as proficiently by others, and this indicates a lack of faith in God. There are many people who through their actions reveal they are convinced God's plan depends solely upon them. They rush to and fro putting out fires, doing what they feel must be done, instead of waiting on the LORD to see what He would have them do and be led step by step by faith. Walking by sight always ends in disaster.
This morning I was astounded by the simplicity of Galatians 6:9: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." When I read these words written by Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit, they were like fresh dew upon the soul. Often we think of weariness as overtaking us, that we are simply a victim of circumstances which have overwhelmed us. But that is not the way Paul perceived it. Because every Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit and has been granted His infinite spiritual power and resources, we have all we need to do the work God desires to accomplish through us. Like manna in a spiritual sense, we must day by day receive of God's spiritual vitality through faith. Do not think that we can save up spiritual strength in a storehouse to draw upon when we see fit: in that moment God will give us the strength we need to accomplish His will because He has already given us all strength in Himself. If we faint or grow weary, it is the product of our choices - either passive or active - which have led to the burnout condition.
What does the scripture say? Isaiah 40:28-31 states, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 31 but those who wait on 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." Let God be true and every man a liar. Our strength must be renewed through waiting upon the LORD. You may say, "But I am so tired!" When a man works hard, his appetite grows. As we serve God through waiting on Him and serving one another in love, our appetite for time spent with the LORD in communion should also grow. If you find that you are so busy that you have no time even for prayer and the reading of God's Word, you are well on your way to burnout. You are choosing the path which will wear you out. How can I be so sure? Because you are not renewing your strength daily by waiting on the LORD. The Bible says if you wait upon Him you will run and not be weary. I don't have to run far before I grow very weary. But if we will wait on the LORD, spiritually we can run without weariness! "But I have been waiting on the LORD, and I am still weary!" Argue with God's Word if you like, but the Bible stands eternal and sure. Your close walk with Jesus Christ will be your delight, and your strength will only increase as you serve God faithfully.
God promises not only to be our strength, but to keep us from stumbling. Jude ends in verse 24-25 with this wonderful benediction: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." If God is for us, who can be against us? I can tell you what is against God: Satan, the world under his sway, and our flesh. Though our souls long to please God, our flesh hates to sacrifice anything for God's glory. The threat or feeling of burnout seems to our flesh a reasonable justification to leave off doing God's work and embrace a life of ease. God affirms in 2 Peter 1:3 that according to "...His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue..." Whatever God asks us to do, He will also provide the means, way, and knowledge to do it. He is able to accomplish what concerns us today and always.
Let us not be weary in doing good because we will reap, if we faint not. Waiting on the LORD keeps us from fainting, and by God's grace He keeps us from stumbling. Let us apply Philippians 4:19 as a salve to our spiritual soreness: "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Notice the scripture does not say, "And God shall supply all that we think we need." It says that God will supply all our need according to His riches by Christ Jesus. How great is our God! Let us serve Him both now and forever without intermission!
Many people who serve in church ministry have experienced the crash-and-burn effect of overwork. But the scripture makes it clear being "worn out" occurs when we are out of line with the will of God. God kept the clothes and shoes of the children of Israel from wearing out as they were led by Him in the wilderness for 40 years! Sometimes "burnout" is a phrase used to justify laziness; other times men refuse to heed the wisdom of Jethro and throw themselves headlong into the work because of proud ambition, thinking themselves impervious to breakdown. They neglect a Sabbath rest. They do not trust the work of God to be done as proficiently by others, and this indicates a lack of faith in God. There are many people who through their actions reveal they are convinced God's plan depends solely upon them. They rush to and fro putting out fires, doing what they feel must be done, instead of waiting on the LORD to see what He would have them do and be led step by step by faith. Walking by sight always ends in disaster.
This morning I was astounded by the simplicity of Galatians 6:9: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." When I read these words written by Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit, they were like fresh dew upon the soul. Often we think of weariness as overtaking us, that we are simply a victim of circumstances which have overwhelmed us. But that is not the way Paul perceived it. Because every Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit and has been granted His infinite spiritual power and resources, we have all we need to do the work God desires to accomplish through us. Like manna in a spiritual sense, we must day by day receive of God's spiritual vitality through faith. Do not think that we can save up spiritual strength in a storehouse to draw upon when we see fit: in that moment God will give us the strength we need to accomplish His will because He has already given us all strength in Himself. If we faint or grow weary, it is the product of our choices - either passive or active - which have led to the burnout condition.
What does the scripture say? Isaiah 40:28-31 states, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 31 but those who wait on 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." Let God be true and every man a liar. Our strength must be renewed through waiting upon the LORD. You may say, "But I am so tired!" When a man works hard, his appetite grows. As we serve God through waiting on Him and serving one another in love, our appetite for time spent with the LORD in communion should also grow. If you find that you are so busy that you have no time even for prayer and the reading of God's Word, you are well on your way to burnout. You are choosing the path which will wear you out. How can I be so sure? Because you are not renewing your strength daily by waiting on the LORD. The Bible says if you wait upon Him you will run and not be weary. I don't have to run far before I grow very weary. But if we will wait on the LORD, spiritually we can run without weariness! "But I have been waiting on the LORD, and I am still weary!" Argue with God's Word if you like, but the Bible stands eternal and sure. Your close walk with Jesus Christ will be your delight, and your strength will only increase as you serve God faithfully.
God promises not only to be our strength, but to keep us from stumbling. Jude ends in verse 24-25 with this wonderful benediction: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." If God is for us, who can be against us? I can tell you what is against God: Satan, the world under his sway, and our flesh. Though our souls long to please God, our flesh hates to sacrifice anything for God's glory. The threat or feeling of burnout seems to our flesh a reasonable justification to leave off doing God's work and embrace a life of ease. God affirms in 2 Peter 1:3 that according to "...His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue..." Whatever God asks us to do, He will also provide the means, way, and knowledge to do it. He is able to accomplish what concerns us today and always.
Let us not be weary in doing good because we will reap, if we faint not. Waiting on the LORD keeps us from fainting, and by God's grace He keeps us from stumbling. Let us apply Philippians 4:19 as a salve to our spiritual soreness: "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Notice the scripture does not say, "And God shall supply all that we think we need." It says that God will supply all our need according to His riches by Christ Jesus. How great is our God! Let us serve Him both now and forever without intermission!
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