Avoid Burnout

This is less a takeaway from Sunday, and more some thoughts that have come up this week. This weekend I was away in Illinois on an annual trip with friends from high school and college. This is the only time each year I see some of them, and it was great to catch up and have some fun. We stayed in a huge vacation rental, saw some sights in the area, played cards and other games, watched the boxing match, and ate some great meals together. One night we realized we needed some more food for dinner, so one friend and I jumped in the van to run into town. On the trip, we talked about matters of faith, and he confessed he hasn't been to church in a long time. I told him he should never feel guilty about that. He also said he wanted to make it more of a priority and find a church. I encouraged him to go with his work partner, or another friend, even if it's weird or unfamiliar at first. I said I think he'd benefit from finding a faith community. He agreed, but he knows it's going to be hard.

We are creatures of habit: good and bad. Generally, we fall into bad habits. When left to ourselves, we slide into habits that don't really help us much. They don't require a lot of effort, they are usually self-centered, and so they are easy to get into. Generally, we also work our way into good habits. They require effort, sometimes encouragement from others, and they benefit ourselves and often those around us.

But there's also a case where we get so focused on a good habit, or make it a much bigger part of our life than it should be, that it becomes bad for us. Sometimes you can get too much of a good thing. Take involvement in church, for example. In the latest issue of Relevant Magazine, I read an article by Bonnie Gray called "A Real-Life Guide to Not Burning Out From Church." It had some great insights. Because we are passionate about our faith, or serving others, or outreach, or discipleship, we put a lot of energy and effort into those things. Before long, we can find ourselves overwhelmed or just worn out. Suddenly the joy and fellowship of a church feels like drudgery.

Gray highlights a few ways to prevent you from getting burned out from church. If you are concerned you're heading for burnout, consider these:

Pay attention to your attitude and heart. Sometimes we do need to power through in obedience in ministry, but if that attitude becomes the norm, we need to let others know. Set boundaries in relationships, and communicate your needs if you're worn down.

Consider the time stress of church. We face so many pressures from activities, time with family, work, time with friends. Sometimes it's hard to see the value of an hour with our community of faith. Rather than withdrawing, though, share this with others. Your story, and your struggle, is valid.

What is it you need most in this season? You don't have to love every aspect of church all the time. There will be seasons where worship is what you need most, or discipleship, or serving alongside others, or small group fellowship. Be honest about what you desire, and find people pursuing the same things.

Take inventory. If you're constantly feeling stressed or tired, you might want to take some time to discover the root of your stress. List your activities: are they making you happy? Sometimes we have slowly worked ourselves into a pattern of pursuing more money and more stuff, and it's crowding out the life-giving activities like involvement in a faith community. If this is the case, make some bold moves to realign.

Take a break. You may need to stop doing some good things at church in order to find rest in Jesus. Sometimes the church can add to the treadmill of life. You may need to let go of something.

You may have noticed there's a pattern here: honesty. Be honest with yourself and others before you get to the point of throwing in the towel on church. Jesus came to bring full and abundant life. Church involvement can be a revitalizing and rewarding part of that abundant life. But if we're not honest about why we're involved and what we need, we may find ourselves on the road to burnout. Slow down and speak up before you hit the dead end.