Burnout Turned to Burning

As you know autonomically, the physical heart plays a vital role in ensuring the well being of our body and our life. Keeping it in optimal state is necessary for every person. However, the emotional health of our heart is just as important as the physical because from it flows our life, leadership, and love.

I am often reminded of the words that Solomon said,

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

As our physical heart plays an essential role in our life, our emotional health plays a vital role in the direction and output of our life, leadership, and love.

The Bible teaches us that life flows from the heart and as a result, our leadership in different spheres of life is directly impacted from the state of our heart. Satan desires to make it so our heart becomes callous, cold, and unfruitful in the things of God, then he can allow us to be stagnant Christians. He desires to choke the seed of God’s Word within us.

That is why the caring and the guarding of our heart is so vital.

What Flows From the Heart

The Bible says that David was a shepherd who led his people with the integrity of his heart.

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

Psalms 78:72

And love comes from the heart.

Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind
The Lord looks at the heart (Isaiah 66:2; Matthew 5:4). 

Matthew 22:37

Jesus’s life is the best example of a life that’s full and pleasing to God. He was always busy but never go burned out. He was mistreated by people, yet He wasn’t bitter.

Christ’s task while on earth was huge, yet we see that He lived in a constant state of rest.

Have you ever wondered why?

As our schedules continue to get busier and things don’t always go as planned, we must learn from Jesus. In Matthew shares the secret that never allowed him to feel burnout by ministry:

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.

Matthew 11:29

Jesus’s Secret

The secret of Jesus’ idea of “rest” wasn’t going on vacations or taking days off, although those measures are good. It wasn’t being tied down to disciplined routines, but it was the state of His heart.

According to the verse in Matthew 11:29, if we study His heart, and keep out eyes on Him, our heart will be healthy, and it will bring rest to our whole being. We must never allow ministry to take our eyes off of Jesus. When we do, our heart stops feeling energized and begins to feel burnt out. It’s not about busywork. It’s about the privilege we get in knowing Jesus personally and being able to serve Him while we’re alive.

There are many things to learn from Jesus, but one of the most important ones is how to maintain a healthy heart.

To have a healthy heart, we must have a humble heart. 
We must replace a hurry with holiness, and we must prioritize peace over pressure. 

Once our heart is healthy, burnout will be replaced with holy burning.