Our Lifeway President Dr. Thom Rainer recently posted Twelve Ways Pastors Went form Burnout to Vision . This post is focused on pastors, but I’d say they connect with anyone in Christian leadership.
I have often found myself close to burnout as I’ve served Christ and figured there were so many other women’s leaders facing burnout as well. Take a look at this list Dr. Rainer shared and ask yourself the questions I asked myself. Consider where you might need to make some changes so that you can face each day in God’s power rather than defeat due to burnout:
- Spent more time in prayer and the Word-Do I daily spend time in the Word to HEAR from God and in prayer to talk to and listen to Him? Have I place anything in a higher priority than this?
- Dreamed again-Have I lost my “dream” for life, for family, for work, for serving, for ministry? Do I need to ask God to re-ignite His dream in me?
- Stopped comparing-Who do I compare myself, or my ministry to? Women are notorious for comparing themselves to other women, or our ministries to other ministries.
- Developed relationships with non-Christians-Am I developing relationships outside my Christian circle or do I stay comfortable within this place of comfort? Where do I go that I am in contact with lost people?
- Moved my focus from the negative to the positive-Do I face each situation from a negative or positive stance? Do I need to begin seeing the possibilities rather than the impossibilities in a situation?
- Learned to have fun-Sometimes I am so task oriented that I forget to just laugh and have fun. When is the last time I really had a belly laugh?
- Ended draining relationships-Am I spending more time with those who drain me emotionally and physically than I do with those who fill me up? Do I need to make some adjustments here?
- Expressed gratitude regularly-Who have I recently thanked for their service? My spouse? My leadership team? My pastor and his wife? Maybe I need to handwrite some notes!
- Spent more time doing things that energized me-Recreation and rest increases my energy when I do these things. Am I regular about these activities?
- Got in better physical shape-Exercise takes time and physical exertion but this also gives me more energy and endurance. Am I making a habit of exercise and nutrition?
- Made a commitment to have a greater servant spirit-Do I remember that Jesus was a humble servant and modeled that for ME! Where is He asking me to invest to a greater degree of service?
- Began to pray for my community-It is so easy for me to stay in my home when I am there. But has my hibernation caused me to become blasé about my neighborhood? Where do I need to look around and pray for as well as connect with my community?
Well, how did you do? I didn’t do so well. But this list of questions is one I will continue to keep before me as I seek how to follow Christ more closely and avoid burnout doing life and leading my way!
Helpful resources:
- A Place of Quiet Rest, Nancy Leigh DeMoss
- Margin, Richard Swenson
- Freedom From Busyness, Michael Zigarelli
- Surrender, Nancy Leigh DeMoss
- The Frazzled Female, Cindi Wood
- Victoriously Frazzled, Cindi Wood
