The Cebuano word for burnt by overcooking is translated as “pagod.” Yes, it is the same word that means “tired” in Tagalog. And here I got to thinking that somehow, it is the same. When one is burnt out we could also say that he is over tired,
As followers of Jesus, we are not exempt from feeling burnt out. Even the best intentions can lead to burn out. For instance those serving in the ministry could spread themselves too thin in implementing programs, and spearheading church events.
The same goes with our everyday task and mission of parenting. We love our children so much but when there is too much pressure at work, and there is so much stress at home, we could feel way too tired that we tend to zone out, or worse, take out our anger on the ones we love the most.
We however have a calling to fulfill our obligations the way Jesus would — with utmost love and concern for others.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
And so what are we to do when we find ourselves too exhausted to care? When there is not much physical and emotional energy that could power us to continue being loving to others, and obedient to the Lord?
Well, we bring it all before God. In the Gospel of Matthew, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ calls on to us to bring to Him our weary hearts and body. To lift up our struggles to Him, and learn from His example.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
When we lift our worries, anxieties, and everything that troubles us to the one who can handle it all, we will find rest. Unlike worldly comforts that are fleeting, the hope and comfort that our Lord offers covers all the needs we may have and encompassess all the dry and burnt out areas in our lives.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3
So how do we practically give our worries and exhaustion to the Lord? We can do it by lifting it up all in prayer. We seek Him, by praising Him, asking for forgiveness for the wrongs we have done, and presenting our worries and anxieties to Him.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
We then endeavor to get to know Him more by reading the Bible, and reflecting on it, day by day. As we need food to nourish our body, we should also feed our souls with the word of God. When we surrender our lives, including our worries and fears to the Lord, seek His guidance and presence, we declare our full dependence on Him.
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
And while seeking God, and surrendering our problems and exhaustions on Him, would not magically solve our issues nor exempt us from human problems, seeking God will give us the peace of knowing that we have Him in our lives. Our burnouts will no longer get the best of us because we will be aware of what truly matters in the sight of God.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24
When we think about it, the usual culprit for burnt outs are misplaced priorities. If God is our number one priority, we will not push ourselves to the limit to earn money for vacations, possessions, and worldly things. We will not even let pride get in the way.
We will not let parenting stresses get the better of us because we will use God’s word to guide us on raising our children. We will also not push ourselves too much in terms of ministry work, because we know that God wants us to rest and replenish ourselves too.
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus encouraged His disciples to rest following a full day of ministry:
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” Mark 6:31-32
In the Old Testament, the importance of honoring the Sabbath is repeated time and again to emphasize to God’s people the significance of worshipping God and allowing oneself to rest.
One of the reasons why God wants us to rest on a Sabbath is because He knows that we need rest for our body and soul. He even modeled it for us when He created the world. When we heed His call to honor Sabbath, and live by it, we will not be likely to get burnt out, and will start the week feeling refreshed enough to go on living a God-honoring life.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to
ponder on Genesis 2:2-3 and Exodus 20:8-10 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you feeling burnt out? Have you thought of where it comes from? How will giving all your stresses to the Lord change your outlook about it and consequently refresh you?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to refresh our souls through you. I love you above all, and I want to seek you and know you more. And so I pray that you grant me the grace to fully know you so that I could eliminate unnecessary stresses in my life and learn what truly matters. Amen
