Burn Out!! ??

[DeanZF]

Yes, I have PLENTY of opinions on this one, actually. Surprised??



I am one who DOES believe in burnout. I also believe that it CAN be sin, but also believe that most of the time it's not. Poor management, perhaps, but not necessarily sin. Ever heard the phrase "burning the candle at both ends"? It results in burnout, IMHO.



There is a wonderful old song that says, "The zeal of God has consumed me, it burns in my soul, A raging fire that keeps burning (or A driving force that cannot be stopped], a fire that cannot be quenched." There's a litany of stuff that follows this thought, talking about the bush that burned without being consumed, that God is a consuming fire, that we are to be totally attentive to God ("consumed" with), but not so much that we exclude everything else and exhaust ourselves (consumed by).



Let's face it. We really, really want to be used of God in our walks with Him, and in what we perceive to be the ministries that He has appointed for us. It is very possible to overextend ourselves, isn't it? And if we do that too many times without proper restorative resting times, we become depleted, sometimes to the point of exhaustion! Been there, done that. Was it "sin"? I'm not sure. I'm sure that arguements could be wrought both ways. I don't think that's an issue. More the issue is what is the burnout to do with the facts of being burned out??



And on another hand, not everyone who claims burnout IS burned out!! A goodly number of folks in my collection of acquaintances have walked away from church, church duties, personal commitments, marriages, financial obligations, and a host of other stuff, claiming burnout in one form or another. Some of that has frankly been hurt feelings. Other very honest reasons have included abject frustration with inept leadership, abject frustration with inept followership, inability to wait for God to change the situation to match their own perspective of what it OUGHT to be.



Some folks put up the white surrender flag of burnout when they are too tired and worn out to carry on. Many more, I fear, put it up at the first sign of having their spiritual batteries used past their own comfort point. Not everyone, but again, more than would honestly admit it, I fear.



Does that make any sense, or was it an end of the week mindless rant/ramble??