Devotional - managing burnout
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
Hi,
I have a confession to make:
I can’t do it all.
Even though I love saying yes… Yes to God. Yes to people. Yes to new ideas that might turn out to be great accomplishments… I’ve learned that saying ‘yes’ means more when it’s balanced by the proper use of the word ‘no’.
In fact, a well-placed ‘no’ may be the most liberating word missing from our vocabularies. And not just saying ‘no’ to others. We need to learn to say ‘no’ to ourselves, too.
Admittedly, this is not a new revelation on my part.
In fact, I can recall reaching a point of burnout more than once in my life and career.
Even though I keep promising myself that I’ll try to take on less, I often ignore the warning signs and continue, full steam ahead.
Eventually, I reach the point of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated (I call this the “crispy” stage, just before burnout sets in) and it’s only a matter of time before I need to shut everything down because I’m literally running on empty.
Like many Christians, I’m pretty good at saying ‘no’ to unGodly or sinful things but when people need help, I find it really hard to say ‘no’.
Can you relate?
Because of this, I often spin my wheels out of control, saying ‘yes’ to things that can end up being destructive to my health and well-being.
Instead of stepping back and assessing whether God has actually called me to help, my default thought is that “If I don’t do it, who will?”
Thankfully, a conversation with my pastor helped me realize something very significant:
I’m not God’s only option.
Just because I happen to be at the ‘right place at the right time’ doesn't mean that I have to take responsibility for every situation I may find myself in.
Whether it’s my momentary desires or someone else’s demands, saying ‘no’ is often a necessary first step in saying a faith-filled ‘yes’ to God’s greater plan… a plan that might have nothing to do with me.
While my heart may be in the right place, my involvement won’t be helpful unless I’m coming from a place of spiritual discernment vs trying to be a “saviour."
As we know, there is only one Saviour, and it ain’t me :)
As the holiday season approaches, I know there are many of us that may be prone to taking on too much so here are my tips to avoid burnout (and the “saviour trap”) in the future:
Slow down enough to be mindful of my choices, behaviours, and the emotions or false beliefs that motivate them
Set boundaries that allow me to balance caring for others with practicing self-care
Give myself time to weigh options and listen for God’s guidance by saying “maybe” or “no” before saying yes
Make sure I’m processing my emotions with accountability partners such as friends/family/counselor/pastor
Take a moment to connect with God.
What might He be asking you to say ‘no’ to today?
May God Bless You,
Tracy and Born To Fly Team
