Why We Must Embrace God’s Call to Rest When Burnout Hits
When Jesus, God in the flesh, came to Earth, He too modeled rest for us. He ministered to others at a rate that would give any of us burnout today. Yet, He was able to do all He did without succumbing to the symptoms of burnout by regularly going away to be with His Father alone (Matthew 14:13; John 6:15). On some occasions, Jesus took His closest followers with Him, to encourage them to rest and replenish alongside Him (Mark 6:31; Luke 9:10). Rest and time alone with His Father enabled Jesus to avoid stress and burnout.
It is our ego and ambition that convince us we can keep running on empty and survive on little rest or alone time with God in order to accomplish more and minister unendingly to others. Yet what makes us think we can operate more efficiently than God-in-the-flesh did while on this earth?
Invest in your physical health—and the health of your relationships with God and others—by regularly taking a full day (or extended times monthly) to rest physically, mentally, and spiritually so your body can recharge, and your soul can replenish.
God‘s call to rest is like a parent insisting their overly-tired child take a nap. The child doesn’t think he or she needs a nap. But clearly, the child doesn’t know better than the parent, and his attempts at reasoning are futile. It’s a fact that children need rest, and loving parents make sure their children have what they need.
There’s a reason our Good Shepherd (who is also a good parent) “makes” His sheep lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2). Sometimes we, like children, resist the nap. We don’t want to rest. We think we don’t have time to rest. We consider rest overrated and underproductive. So, God sometimes has to make us rest by allowing a diagnosis, an injury, or an extended illness to get us off our feet and physically lie down and rest. Sometimes, He makes us rest through a job loss or a re-route of our plans, so we slow down, get back home, and start to consult God again, instead of rushing through work and life. Be willing to rest as a regular routine, so your Good Shepherd doesn’t have to make you rest through any number of situations. And realize that the time you give to Him in obedient rest, He will give back to you in greater productivity or less financial need.
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When we are consumed with our activities and responsibilities on earth, we can tend to think of heaven far less than we should. Yet, when we get quiet, when we embrace His call to rest, we can turn our minds toward things above, not on the things of this earth (Colossians 3:2).
Rest isn’t just for our bodies. It calms our minds and emotions and helps us gain clarity. It puts us back in touch with our souls and what matters most. If we love God, we’ll labor for Him. But how can we know what He wants us to do if we aren’t getting quiet enough to hear His voice and sense His specific call? You and I must first sit before we can get up and serve. We must worship Him before we can work for Him. There’s a reason Psalm 46:10 tells us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Part of the knowing is being convinced He can work to change or improve our circumstances while we get still. Rest is required for our clarity so we can hear God’s voice in our hearts.
I’ve learned through the decades that God can accomplish far more while I am resting than I can while striving. There were three situations this past week alone that stressed me out because I felt I needed to steer the circumstances in a different direction. My flesh immediately wanted to fight. But God’s quiet instruction on my heart was Be still. Keep a quiet heart. Exodus 14:14 tells us, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (NIV). As I took my concerns to God in prayer and fully trusted Him to work, He confirmed once again that while I rest and trust in Him, He can work a situation far better than I could have. To rest is to trust. And when we trust (and rest), God works on our behalf.
Busyness can lead to chaos. And it appears to be today’s badge of success. But God honors rest, surrender, and the “imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4). What God requires for your success is very contrary to what the world requires for success and notoriety. Which is most important for you to gain—God’s approval or the world’s? Embrace God’s call to rest as a way of making sure your striving is not toward the things that will lead to burnout, but toward the things of God.
For more on embracing rest, see Cindi’s books, When You’re Running on Empty, and When Women Long for Rest.
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