Burnout & God's Invitation to RestSample

Are You Dangerously Tired?

A venture capitalist once described how you can train the human body to operate on only four hours of sleep per night. He was describing the dedication and work ethic he expects of the entrepreneurs he invests in.

Crazy and extreme, right? But how many of us depend on caffeine to wake up to our existence and responsibilities? Or feel like we never have enough time for all the things we need to do– let alone the things we want to do? Please tell us we’re not the only ones feeling burned out.

Ruth Haley Barton, an author on spiritual formation practices, describes the difference between “good tired” and “dangerously tired.” Good tired is when we put in a good day’s work, go home to relax and recover, and then come back rested and ready for the new day.

Dangerously tired is when we push too hard for too long. Dangerously tired is when we never seem to recover. According to Ruth, symptoms of dangerously tired include irritability, getting stuck in anger or sadness, pursuing escapist behaviors like binge-watching shows or drinking too much, the inability to rest when you have space for rest, cynicism, or a deep inner restlessness, not able to take care of basic human needs like showering or making appointments, and the fear that, if we let ourselves cry, we might not stop.

Do you read those symptoms with a nod and painful realization in your gut? Do they describe the absolute burnout and exhaustion you’ve been feeling? You’re probably dangerously tired, and you’re not the only one limping through life this way.

But this isn’t what God desires for us.

In Genesis, we see God’s initial design for humans: to do the work he’s set before us, not to fulfill the demands we or others have placed on ourselves. And to do work from a place of partnership and presence with God, never apart from him. When we work under God’s blessing, it brings fulfillment and joy, not burnout and exhaustion.

Throughout this plan, we’ll be suggesting some simple practices to embrace rest and work against burnout. We think it’s best to start small, so here are a few things you can do today to take a deep breath and have more space for God’s rest:

• Drive the speed limit
• Set a time limit for your social media apps

Now, take a moment in prayer to invite God into where you’re at today.

Creator God, who made humans with limits, I have been pressed beyond mine, and I’m not sure how to recover. Draw me into your rest. May it be my comfort, my safe place, where I can recover. As I read through these passages in Genesis, stir a longing in my heart for work that leaves me “good tired” and give me wisdom to know the difference.