Burned-out
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Have you ever came back from vacation feeling like you need a vacation. When I take a vacation, I will typically take a day off before the trip and a day after we return just to rest and recoup before getting back into the routine of daily life. I learned that lesson a long time ago. It is fun to travel to new places, see new sights, experience new things and to learn something new. That, to me, is a real fun vacation. But when I am running around an urban city or touring a museum, I really don’t have much rest. I prefer to drive instead of fly. Or let me rephrase that, I like for John to drive the family to wherever we are going. So he most definitely needs time of rest and relaxation.
I think we all need vacations. Every human needs time and resources to go somewhere away from home and away from work. I find that I can be most at rest when I am not being “Pastor” for a time. Now again I love my job, I care deeply for each of you, and I am praying for you all the time. But there is just something a little more freeing when no one knows you or have any expectations of you. Spending even a small amount of time to be private and personal, rejuvenates you to be your best self when you return to the responsibilities of life. After that restful and rejuvenating vacation, you may sense that you are ready and even excited to return home and be with people who love you and share in your life. If you are in a good job, then you may find new hope and have a renewed sense of commitment. Well, I hope it is that way for you. It is for me. Basically, a vacation should be a time when you can clear your head, clear your calendar, and then start anew upon returning.
I often times feel bad for celebrities and politicians for this simple reason. It is nearly impossible for them to escape or go anywhere that someone doesn’t know who they are or be out of eyesight from the cameras of paparazzi. There is no way I would want that lifestyle. The prophet in today’s Bible Story was a celebrity, and his actions that were given to him by God, had gotten him so pretty serious death threats. He needed a vacation.
Pray and read 1 Kings 19:1-13
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
This passage comes after one of the most amazing events of God’s power and divinity being proven. Elijah, by himself faces off with 450 prophets of Baal, the false god that many in Israel had come to believe in, turning their backs on their God. Elijah won, God is real, Baal was proven to be false and all the false prophets where killed. Now, you will rarely hear me call any human being pure evil. However, Jezebel is pure evil. She was queen and made many claims and sacrifices to Baal. She led the people astray along with her husband King Ahab. When she was told what had happened to all of her appointed prophets of Baal, she was furious. She declared that she personally would destroy Elijah. This woman had the power and the viciousness to come through on her promise.
Thinking about all that Elijah had done, the all night worship of God, doing God’s work, and battling those hundreds of prophets, he was exhausted. But there is no rest for weary Elijah as he must now flee from the wrath of Jezebel. He comes to the wilderness of Beersheba. He sits down by a broom tree, which is known for its huge leaves. Beersheba was out of the territory of Ahab, king of Israel, as Beersheba was in the territory of Judah. The king of Judah during this time was Jehoshaphat, one of my favorites for he was a good king who “did right in the eyes of the Lord”, and the texts would say. But Elijah was not at peace. He actually was desiring for God to just take him out. But instead, God gave Elijah what he needed most, rest.
Elijah was so “burned-out” that he was honestly useless. He could not go on any further. We was physically drained because he had been up all night after fighting the false prophets all evening and then running for his life. He was emotionally drained because he had to face hardships, anger, grief, joy, endurance, strength and a variety of emotions in a small amount of time. He was was spiritually exhausted. He had just had the exhilarating experience of proving God and worshiping God just to then have his life threatened with no comfort or protection. Everything was wrong. He didn’t know what else to do. So he rested. Yet, God provided. There was an angel to take care of him, feed him and give him something to drink. So he rested even more. Let us not miss this part of the story.
Burnout is real. The only way to come out of it without totally giving up everything is to give up everything just for a time. But before this, as with everything, it needs to be done with prayer. But what does prayer look like for someone who is burned out? Elijah needed to vent! So, he was guided up Horeb Mountain. Here we have the famous passage of Elijah hearing God in a small gust of wind. Burnout happens when we can’t handle the big things anymore, especially when those big things seem to come one right after the other. So when Elijah vents, God listens. Then Elijah is still and God shows him grace and peace. God also renews Elijah’s call and gives him a new purpose. I invite you to read the rest of this passage on your own.
I want you to hear that it is okay to be tired. It is okay when you fall out of passion for something that once brought you joy. It doesn’t always mean that you can’t do your job anymore or that you shouldn’t do that ministry work. Maybe God is working to change your direction, or maybe God is calling you to a place of rest or even to a cave of peace just for a time. It is okay to let go. Letting go is not the same as giving up. Giving up on your passion and purpose is a self-made decision that may not be God’s will that will just leave you alone with no direction at all. But when you let go of your passion and your purpose with the focus of giving it to God, God re-centers you and renews your strength. It is also a good time to ask God for guidance and ensure that you are truly acting in His will.
Sometimes we need to step back and let others take the lead in a project. We may worry that we are alone like how Elijah felt, and that no one will step-up. Yet, sometimes we are surprised by who sees the need and then feels free to step-up. Like letting go, stepping back does not mean to just completely stop doing what you enjoy, but instead to let go of the burden of all the details and worries. Letting others help will prevent burn-out from returning. And just maybe it will renew your sense of passion and pride. All it takes is just a little time of rest and renewal then you will find that God has and is still blessing you. God provides, God is present and God always has a purpose for your life. Be free to take the time you need.
In the name of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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