We can take a page from God’s playbook, the Holy Bible, when we are overworked and on the brink of burnout. Genesis 2:2-3 NIV states, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” So, if God took the time to rest, then we should do likewise. Sometimes, we assume that by working overtime at every opportunity while spending less time with our families or volunteering to head committees or working in service to the church every time we are asked will score extra points in heaven because we are working for the Lord. Nothing could be further from the truth. Do not confuse church work with the work of the church. Even though Jesus spent much of his ministry teaching, preaching, and healing, there were times when he had to withdraw to a solitary place and rest. Jesus was on a mission and could not afford to burnout. Burnout has nothing to do with your lack of faith or your lack of commitment to service to the Lord. Burnout occurs when you disregard God’s command to rest. Rest restores balance in your life. God understands the importance of rest followed by renewal. In Mark 2:27, Jesus told the Pharisees that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was intentional, not an afterthought. It was a part of creation’s design. It is a time of restoration and freedom. Rest is part of the holy and necessary rhythm following labor. Periods of rest prevent the burnout that was mentioned earlier. We can catch a break if we periodically take a break from our labors and rest. We can meditate on the Word or take a stroll along the beach and enjoy quiet waters. If God rested, we should rest, too.

By Jacqueline C. Winston