What comes to mind when you hear the word burnout? Some of you gear-heads reading this might think about putting the pedal to the metal and spinning your tires for as long as possible. However, that is not the type of burnout I’m talking about.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines burnout (in psychological terms) as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.”
This is the 10th month of the World Race for my squad. This is the month where “The Burnout” becomes real, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I would bet that if you ask someone who has been on the Race, they would never say that they experienced prolonged stress and frustration. So why would we experience a burnout? Have you ever heard anyone say, “I’m just burnt out from experiencing Jesus”? I don’t think I have.
I believe that being burnt out is a mindset/perspective. The onset of it can easily come the closer we are to the end of a chapter of our lives, or when something new is right around the corner. But we have a choice to wake up everyday and give everything we have. Don’t start counting down the days, because there will be a day that a switch happens and you will stop saying “40 days left” and start saying “Ahhh, oh no!!! There are only 39 days left.”
You see, Jesus knew “that he had come from God and was returning to God.” He knew exactly when his three year ministry was going to come to and end. So let’s take a look at the Bible and see what Jesus was doing right before the end of His ministry (aka Month 10).
We find in Matthew 25, Luke 21, and Mark 13 that Jesus is teaching crowds of people. You can’t find a difference in his teaching in these chapters when compared to early teachings. Jesus gave everything to this world, even when He knew what was right around the corner. Luke 21: 37-38 describes Jesus’s day to day life as follows: “Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.”
In Matthew 26, Luke 22, and Mark 14th, we find the Last Supper text. This is right before Jesus was betrayed, falsely convicted, beaten, and crucified. In these 3 chapters we find Jesus hanging out with his closest friends, feeding them, and washing their feet. If you want an amazing perspective on what happened in Matthew 27, Luke 23, and Mark 15, take a look at this video below.
So what are some practical steps to avoid the burnout on the Race, or burnout in general for that matter.
1. Physical Activity – Go for a walk after work. If you are on the Race, then RUN! Running is the best way to see the beautiful community God has placed you in.
2. Intellectual Stimulation – Read a good book. What works for me is to get in a cycle of reading a “fun” book and then an “intellectual” book.
3. Self-introspection – Take about five minutes every evening to process your day. Think about the thing you really enjoyed and the thing you would change about your day. I’m no expert at this, but most people would say to journal your thoughts so you have some tangible things to hold onto.
4. Social Interaction – “You’d think being around more people would be the opposite of what I needed, but true community strengthens you. True community builds you up, speaks truth over your life, validates how you’re feeling and encourages you in your weakness.” (Kiersten Gamby-World Race 2015)
I experienced what I thought was a burnout during my time in Philadelphia back in 2014. If you want the story, just ask me down in the comments, it’s super crazy how God showed up. I’m not staying burnout isn’t real. What I am saying is that we can shift out perspective, learn from Jesus, and take practical steps to avoid the onset of becoming burnt out.
-Josey the Outlaw
