Burnout & God's Invitation to RestSample

Settle Into Your Identity in Christ

Burnout is a sure sign of a misplaced identity. Think about it. The highly motivated, cut-throat young attorney. She’s likely entangled her self-worth with success at work. The young man plagued by saying yes to anyone who asks for anything. He’s likely defining himself by his helpfulness.

When we’re burned out, we’re not fully resting in our identity as God’s beloved, already-accepted children who have nothing to prove. So, just rest in your Christ-given identity. There! Easy solution, right?

...yeah, no. We won’t pretend it’s easy. And the truth is, none of us are going to “arrive” when it comes to resting in the identity that Jesus won for us. We’ll have seasons when we relax into it more. We might even have aspects of that identity that we’re settled into, but others we will struggle with for our entire lives.

But you don’t have to “arrive” to start experiencing God’s rest. Start by thinking through what’s true of your identity in Christ…

You are secure in him.

He is your refuge.

He includes you.

He delights in you.

You have his approval.

You are significant to him.

He gives you meaning.

You can rest in his finished work.

He takes all your guilt.

You are free to be in him.

He accepts you.

Circle back to the top of that list and read it again slowly.

What truth is your heart pulled toward? Now consider what might look different about your week if you really leaned into believing this truth.

If you’re confident in your significance to God, maybe you don’t put as much stock in getting your boss to notice you. If God went out of his way to include you, maybe you can pass when you’re asked to join an off-campus outing, and you know it’s only because you have a car. And if God is your refuge, there are probably a lot of other things (caffeine? Netflix?) you’ve been running to that you could skip out on. And by embracing your identity in Christ, and saying “no” to the things God is freeing you from, you might find that you reclaim enough time to rest in God with more consistency!

Jesus, I know that this exhaustion and burnout is a symptom of me trying to build my own identity. Reveal to me what would look different this week if I believed the things about me that are true because I’m yours. And, as I grow more confident in the identity you've already secured for me, let me experience peace and relief.