The Way Out of Burnout, part 4
The Word of God divinely diagnoses conditions such as burnout, but it also tells us the cure. So far we have considered the causes of burnout and some of the common mistakes we make when we are depressed. In the Elijah narrative found in 1 Kings 19:5-8 we can also discover some very practical steps that give us a pathway to overcome burnout.
The first divine cure is for Elijah to rest his body. Elijah had requested in himself to die, but did he really? Of course not! If he wanted to die he would have stayed in Jezreel and let Jezebel kill him. One of the reasons Elijah felt burned out was he was over-tired. So, wisely, he gets rest under the juniper tree, and God in mercy sent an angel to awake him to eat a healthy meal. Then he slept again. When he woke up, the Lord had yet another meal for him. God does not scold Elijah with a sermon, he gives him food and lets him rest. It is not unspiritual to get a good nights rest, to take a day off, or to go on vacation. It actually may take faith to get away from our work and rest.
Elijah takes two long naps to refresh his worn out body. A good night’s sleep can recalibrate our perspective. Psalm 127:2 says, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep.” Proverbs 3:24 says that for the wise person, “thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”
Remember that you have a body with a soul and they are connected. If you do not care for your body with sufficient rest, you are prone to spiritual discouragement.
The second divine cure is to recognize God’s gracious touch.
Notice the words, “behold, then an angel touched him” and “the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him” (1 Kings 19:5,7). This angel could well be the pre-incarnate Christ. God’s demonstrates His love to Elijah and to us, while we are yet sinners, and when we are discouraged and in the valley.
This touch reminds me of Paul’s lonely final days in prison when all men forsook him, but God stood with him. He said, “Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion” (2 Timothy 4:17).
When you are discouraged let God’s Son through His eternal word touch your spirit. “Heaviness in the heart of man taketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” God’s Word is ever that good word that can lift up a heavy heart, and Jesus Christ speaks personally to us through His written Word that we may have His joy (John 15:11; 1 John 1:4).
Finally, Elijah must rejuvenate by eating properly. The angel wakes him and twice says, “arise and eat” (1 Kings 19:5,7). In these few verses God’s personal care is astounding as Elijah gets two naps, two touches, and two meals to strengthen him physically and spiritually.
Elijah was previously fed by ravens and drank of a special brook, and then he was miraculously fed by a starving widow from a barrel of meal and cruse of oil that never ran out (1 Kings 17). Now celestial fingers prepare a special meal. God provides for His servant not only in times of famine but persecution.
I realize this is a sensitive subject, but I believe many people are depressed today because of poor diet. One simply cannot live on fast foods void of nourishment, soft drinks filled with sugar, and food filled with MSG and high fructose corn syrup, and at the same time neglect to eat fresh fruit, vegetables along with sufficient protein. Many people in our society are sick and dying of cancer or some other disease. It seems to me that one reason for this is woeful eating habits. I find it interesting that in the heavenly kingdom we will eat fruit and the green leaves of the tree of life which are “for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). It sounds like in heaven that we will have a strong diet of fruit and vegetables. In heaven we will not commit any sin nor engage in any self-destructive behavior by eating poorly!
Are you exercising personal discipline to take care of your body and your spirit, which are God’s? We must remember that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and we must present our body to God as a living sacrifice (1 Corinthians 6:19,20; Romans 12:1,2).
If you are struggling with burnout today, follow this divine prescription. Rest your body, recognize God’s gracious touch by the power of His risen Son Jesus Christ, and rejuvenate yourself by eating properly. May God give you His sufficient grace to conquer discouragement and live for His glory.
