{"id":3353,"date":"2016-03-13T09:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-03-13T14:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3353"},"modified":"2016-03-13T13:48:38","modified_gmt":"2016-03-13T18:48:38","slug":"choose-to-avoid-spiritual-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3353","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Avoid Spiritual Burnout"},"content":{"rendered":"

Another Year of Choices <\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/p>\n

\"Avoid<\/a>Most Christians want to serve but don\u2019t know how to avoid spiritual burnout in the process.\u00a0 To be honest, I\u2019m not sure I know how to avoid it either.\u00a0 At one time or another we all try to \u201cwork\u201d our way to righteousness on the spiritual treadmill, desiring to reach some lofty vision we see as the ultimate Christian experience.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want to become modern day Pharisees, but these \u201cwork\u201d oriented goals do tend to make us feel just a little superior to others.\u00a0 Keeping a mental list of what we need to do to attain righteousness leaves us living more under law than grace.\u00a0 If we fall into the personal performance trap, it won\u2019t be long before we run out of steam.\u00a0 Performing godly tasks on our own strength instead of God\u2019s can lead to burn out.\u00a0\u00a0 God\u2019s flame is eternal and never burns out.\u00a0 Our feeble flame can definitely burn out.<\/p>\n

Depression, stress and burnout can have overlapping symptoms but actually fall into three different categories.\u00a0 Depression is usually linked to a loss and a person\u2019s lethargic inability to face life. Stress produces hyper-activity, emotions become over reactive, and the person literally wears out and gets exhausted.\u00a0 But with burnout, there is a lack of motivation and drive \u2013 not because of a weakened, physical condition but because the will to do anything is gone.\u00a0 Ideals and hope are lost.\u00a0 There is no excitement about life.\u00a0 The joy in the journey is gone.\u00a0 In other words, \u201cWhat\u2019s the use?\u201d<\/p>\n

Can good, serving Christians suffer burnout?\u00a0 You better believe it!\u00a0 Burnout can be the result of too much service for the wrong motivation.\u00a0 So we must ask ourselves why we do what we do.<\/p>\n

Are we trying to impress others?\u00a0 Many try to please others, seeking approval and fearing criticism.\u00a0 Therefore, they have trouble evaluating where their time is best spent or setting up boundaries.\u00a0 They can\u2019t say \u201cno\u201d to others.\u00a0 When their efforts don\u2019t reap the results they hoped, they get disheartened and discouraged.\u00a0 When they can\u2019t live up to their own expectations or the expectations of others they feel like failures. \u00a0However, these are not God\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n

Are we serving in an area that brings us joy?\u00a0 When we minister in areas that match our gifts and talents, we can feel as if we are meant to do this.\u00a0 Some are perfectly happy there, but others get tired of doing the same old thing and may decide to try another area of service \u2013 some new endeavor they feel excited about \u2013 something they want to learn.\u00a0 They hesitate, fearing others will not be supportive, so they don\u2019t move on.\u00a0 Or worse, people guilt them into thinking if they don\u2019t do it, no one will.\u00a0 However, God does not want us to serve out of guilt, but joy.<\/p>\n

Are we working for God\u2019s glory?\u00a0\u00a0 We should be working for God\u2019s glory \u2013 not ours \u2013 not just for the good of others.\u00a0 We cannot be the spiritual nourishment for others.\u00a0 Needy people can drain us dry.\u00a0 While it might be fine to let someone lean on us for a short time, the ultimate goal is to get them to lean on God.\u00a0 We can\u2019t do this for them.\u00a0 And if we are trying to do it for them, we are not doing it for God\u2019s glory.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be doing it on our own strength or steam.\u00a0 It\u2019s better to rely on God\u2019s strength and teach others to do the same.<\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026 We can spend a lot of time and effort doing things for God he does not require us to do.\u00a0 Workaholic Christians rarely find time for the most important priority \u2013 relationship with the living God.\u00a0 Once a relationship develops, the motive of service becomes love, not obligation.\u00a0 It\u2019s not how much we do that counts; it\u2019s why we do what we do.\u00a0 We need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2) Our lives need to be God centered, not work oriented.\u00a0 Remember\u2026 our flames are feeble, but God\u2019s flame is eternal and never burns out.<\/p>\n

\"Eternal<\/a><\/p>\n

Suggestions for practicing this choice\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n