The feeling of not being able to do the thing you need to do anymore.
The feeling of just wanting to disappear for a while.
This is the description of the feeling of being burnt out.
It’s funny how people get burned out just being at home during this pandemic. Human beings as a species just seem too good at finding things to do that tire out our souls to the point of exhaustion.
Burnout is not just a Matter of our Emotions.
Even if we describe burnout as a ‘feeling’ it is not. It is very real.
Our bodies know when we are at our limit and it communicates that back to us.
Burnout comes with physical activity and thinking. It comes with stress – which are very physical things.
So burnout is not just an emotion.
Burnout is not just a Physical State Either
Then why are there days when we are physically well-rested but we feel like we are tired inside?
Not just empty or hollow – but unwilling to exert more effort for another day to produce good work?
Our bodies are 100% a-ok but we feel like our soul is dragging it to work.
This is because burnout is not just a physical state either.
Watch your Spirit
Burning out is a matter of the spirit.
There are two kinds of fire that ignite you – the fire of the world and the fire that comes from God.
The fire of the world is a passion that can drive you long and hard – until it consumes you and you’re exhausted and you say “no more”.
But the fire of God does not consume.
“And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.” – Exodus 3:2
The fire of God does not consume but glorifies – it draws people close to God’s Work and His Word.
“This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” – Exodus 3:3
This fire is the Word of God working in you.
If you know that the work you are doing – everything you are doing – is for God’s Kingdom then you will never burnout. Even if you’re doing business, or doing work for someone else, or doing ministry – your fire will never consume you.
“They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” – Luke 24:32
God’s fire is always there and burning but when we leave his presence – when we go further away from Him, we start to lose that fire and the world will try to light us up with something else.
Something that will ultimately consume us and leave us burnt out.