How God Turns Setbacks Into ComebacksSample

10 Signs You’re Emotionally Exhausted

Everyone goes through times when their emotional tanks are empty—even great heroes of the Bible.

Consider the experience of Elijah, one of the most important prophets in the history of Israel. He went toe-to-toe with 450 pagan prophets, dramatically and definitively proving that the Lord Jehovah is the only true God, and that the pagan god Baal was no god at all.

After exhibiting such tremendous faith, Elijah was emotionally exhausted. Then he received a death threat from the pagan queen, Jezebel, and Elijah let fear undermine his faith.

First Kings 19:3-4 describes what Elijah did next.

“Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died’” (NLT).

Elijah’s experience reveals 10 characteristics of emotional exhaustion:

· Fear creeps into your life.

· You find yourself running away and hiding from your circumstances.

· You withdraw from relationships.

· You make foolish, impulsive decisions.

· You push yourself past your physical limits.

· Your work seems pointless.

· You feel like giving up.

· You feel isolated and attacked.

· You compare yourself to others and feel bad about yourself.

· You think death might bring relief.

If you notice some of these characteristics in your life right now, you may be emotionally exhausted or experiencing burnout. You may even be dangerously depressed. Be safe and talk to someone about what you’re thinking and feeling.

And remember, there is always hope. Jehovah God is a God of hope, and it is a hope that will not disappoint. Tomorrow, we’ll look at what the Bible says you can do when your emotional tank is empty.

Talk It Over

Think of a time in your life when you found yourself emotionally exhausted. How did you try to solve the problem? 

As you look at the warning signs listed in today’s devotional, which ones are you struggling with? What trusted friend can you talk to about your struggles?

What person in your life may need to read this devotional? How can you share it with them this week?

This devotional © 2019 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.