The speed of life can bring us to the point of burnout. We can feel so exhausted that we have nothing more to give in our work, in our relationships, and in our family.
And because we’re burning out, we become prone to discouragement and frustration. We lose our temper.
Worse, we give in to temptations of lust, greed, and selfishness—and our relationships are damaged.
My dear friend, there is a way to prevent burnout.
You have to refill yourself.
Why? Because you cannot give what you do not have.
Five Things You Need to Do to Avoid Burnout
I have seen and read the news. Maybe you’ve also watched them—amazing pastors, preachers, priests, and leaders who fall.
And they fall bad.
They engage in adultery and sexual scandals.
Why does it happen to these people who love and serve the Lord? Because of burnout.
Burnout has many faces. For some people, it’s not even obvious that they’re experiencing burnout.
But they do. Because they no longer care for themselves.
There are five things you can do to express self-care.
Number one: Have a strong prayer life.
In Mark 1:35, after healing crowds of people, you’ll read about how Jesus woke up early the next day to spend time with His Father.
We need to have a strong prayer life.
Spend time with God even just for a few minutes. Read the Bible. Reflect on the Gospel reading for the day.
Make it your daily appointment with God.
Number two: Nurture a happy family life.
This means prioritizing your relationships. If you’re married, prioritize your marriage.
This is very important for your self-care.
Make a decision right now to make it your top priority.
I’ve been married for twenty-four years. From personal experience, if my marriage is happy, I’m strong. But if we had a fight and I wasn’t able to reconcile with my wife, I’m weak. I’m vulnerable. That’s why it’s very important to strengthen our key relationships.
Here’s number three: Have deep friendships.
It’s great to have a beautiful family, but you also need friends outside your home. It doesn’t have to be a lot. But have one, two, or three confidants who know everything about you—people you don’t withhold secrets from, if possible.
When you are vulnerable, when you feel weak, when you are tempted, call that friend and become accountable to that person.
This is for your protection. If you’re isolated—and there are many people who are—you become weak and vulnerable.
Friend, you need those deep friendships.
Number four: Have a great balanced life.
Get enough sleep and enough rest.
Some people are just overworked. And when there is just too much on your plate, you wake up in the morning already tired.
Why? Because maybe your body slept but your mind did not rest.
So you need to balance your life.
There are seasons in your life when you have to stretch yourself to do a lot of things to meet deadlines. But that shouldn’t be your regular schedule. The norm should be getting enough sleep and rest.
Number five: Be humble enough to tame your power. There are times when you must let go of power, authority, and your sense of control.
Don’t think you’re Superman. Because you’re not.
And there are times when you need to say, “OK, I’m vulnerable and weak. I need to acknowledge that. And I need to let go. I need to let God.”
Allow God to embrace you.
Allow Him to refill you.
And let God be God.
This or That: Tiny Choices to Uncomplicate Your Life is the first installment in the FullTank Book Collection. My prayer is that by reading this book, God Himself will give you a full tank of His love for the long journey ahead of you. – Bo Sanchez
*This excerpt was taken from THIS OR THAT by Bo Sanchez, available in paperback and e-book copy at http://www.feastbooks.ph!
