Avoiding Burnout as a Christian: What is a Spirit of Excellence?

Meetings, appointments, events, Bible studies, relationships, and other commitments are all a part of the journey of living a purpose-filled life. But how exactly do we juggle it all without facing burnout? Holy burnout out existed since the beginning of time, and God offers us an everlasting prescription for our restlessness. 

Full Plate 

Imagine going to an all-you-can-eat buffet and only being allowed to get one plate. Naturally, to get the bang for our buck, we’re going to fill that plate with as much steak, chicken, and vegetables as we can until it’s quite literally running over. In the same way, with only one life to live, we often find ourselves stacking our plates so full of commitments that sometimes things fall off and we grow tired of eating. If there was anyone in history who had a lot on their plate, it was Jesus himself, yet despite a plate piled as high as the cross, Jesus took rest to illustrate what it means to trust in the Father fully. 

Jesus was fully God and fully man, and we can look to his blueprint for how to take biblical rest despite having an ever-growing list. In the Bible, time after time, we see Jesus highlighting the importance of the sabbath and even demonstrating the importance of resting in the middle of storms. Amid chaos, we can rest assured that as we sleep, our God is working on our behalf.

 

God’s Dream vs The American Dream 

The American dream sells us the facade that the more we learn, the more we earn, and the more we earn, the more we work, but a God dream offers us abundance and everlasting life that can only be achieved through resting fully in him.   God never promised us a life free of hardships and stress, but he does offer us a place where we can go to him. Practically, we can take time to meditate on scripture 

Calm in the chaos 

We can all attest to the fact that life has a way of we’ll… life-ing!!! There’s no reset button or scheduled time built out for a full reset, but as believers, we have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and sleep in the middle of our storm. 

Recipe for success 

Building in time for a pause is easier said than done. But what are some practical ways to prevent burnout? 

1. Go to sleep and give it to God: After you’ve tried your absolute best and you’ve given all you have, take time to surrender your day and your plans to him and take physical rest. Set a timer and consciously put the things on your plate on pause and say “God I give this to you,” and close your eyes. While this doesn’t erase our to-do list, it gives us the chance to invite God into our schedule and let him do what he does best. 
2. Take it Bite by Bite: We see all across the Bible that worrying adds nothing to our lives. Take inventory of the things that need your attention immediately and allow the remainder to be taken care of at another date. We can’t worry about tomorrow, but we can focus on the here and now and build everything brick by brick and watch how God molds it into a masterpiece. Rome was not built in a day; in the same way, you won’t achieve your God dream overnight. Our God isn’t in the business of overnight success or one-hit wonders—He specializes in steady, faithful growth, the kind that transforms us over time. So day by day, we will receive the fullness of his promises, focus on the little by little that you can do today, and let tomorrow worry about itself. 
3. Prioritize your wellbeing: Ensure that you’re doing at least one thing per day that contributes to your mental health. Maybe it’s reading a chapter in a book or going for a walk while listening to a podcast. Show up for yourself before you can show up for others. 

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