Not a week goes by that I don’t hear this, or some form of this, said by a friend in distress: “Dave, I’m just burned out. I dread what I’m doing. I have a lot of anger and I don’t know where it comes from. I’m tired, I have no energy, and it’s hard just getting out of bed every day.”
If that describes you, or someone you’re trying to do life with, more than likely, you’re dealing with a person who’s burnt.
The number one culprit behind the feeling of burn-out is the loss of hope. Without hope in your job, in your marriage, in your relationship with God or other people, energy is simply drained out of your life. But where there is hope, optimism, vitality, and anticipation for better days, seem to arise almost magically and effortlessly.
I finished the current series, “Messy Like Me,” yesterday by talking about the sixth type person you meet on the way to heaven: those who have skill, talent, training, ability, have a ton to offer their career, their families, and their churches, but they are burned out. We talked about the process of losing hope. It starts with comparison and envy, and ends with anger. We also talked about how you can have hope in increasing amounts. Listen to the talk and ask yourself this question, “Am I burned out because I’ve engaged in comparison, I’ve become bitter over what I don’t have, and envious of those who seem to be doing better than me though they are not as smart as me or trying nearly as hard as me?”
Sit down with your team and go through the process of having hope and ask yourself that question. Do I live every day with the mindset of worship and gratitude and thankfulness to God for my life, and the privilege to do what I do? Do I stand in awe of God’s promises and His faithfulness to allow me to join Him where He is working? These are vital questions and they need to be addressed before you can turn things around.