Crosswalk has published an excellent article on burnout, which can be found here. It includes a handy list of cause which is useful to watch out for. I personally identify most of them in my life, and with prayer and reliance upon the Lord, hope to address them in keeping with personal responsibility to preserve this temple of the Lord.
Burnout can occur in the physical, emotional, and spiritual areas of life. Sometimes it affects only one or two of these areas, but it often takes its toll in all three, as it did with Elijah. He was physically exhausted from running before King Ahab’s chariot some 25 miles from Mount Carmel to the entrance of Jezreel (I Kings 18:46). He was emotionally drained as evidenced by his wish to die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life” (I Kings 19:4). He was spiritually distraught, which was shown by his words, “I, even I only, am left” (I Kings 19:10).
Many things cause burnout. While it is impossible to mention them all, here are the primary causes.
Physical Burnout
- Lack of proper sleep and rest
- Little or no exercise
- Obesity
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Illness
Emotional Burnout
- Excessive worry
- Disappointment
- Self-pity
- Hurt feelings
Spiritual Burnout
- Pride
- Fulfilling the letter and not the spirit
- Moral failure
Thanks to PastorBlog for assembling the list!
