BURNOUT....NAW....IT'S JUST YOU IN THE WAY....

A SPIRITUAL BURNOUT…FOR REAL?

#God'sVessel

I never quite understood people when they said they were going through a spiritual burn out??? A Spiritual burn out what is that? Is that an emptiness someone feels? Is it a separation one experiences? Is it a dry spell (“on “)?

A burnout is commonly described as an exhausted state in which a person loses interest in a particular activity and even in life in general –

A burnout is the result of an extended period of exertion at a particular task

A burnout is a feeling of not feeling His presence –

                                 {And Yet}

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30).

 The ultimate solution for those currently experiencing burnout is to find refreshment in Christ.

Some people who have been walking with the Lord for a long while in one way or another have experienced spiritual dryness, distance, emptiness burnout or whatever you choose to call it like:

  1. John the Baptist while in jail (Matt. 11:2-3)

  2. David the Psalmist ( Psa. 77 – Psa. 42)

  3. Job lived it (Job 42)

  4. Abraham brought it upon himself (Gen. 17:22)

  5. Jeremiah felt alone (Jer. 15:15-21)

(Yes,there were countless others)

People experience this when they do not feel the warmth of the Lord,whether this is by not feeling His presence or having no visions, or hearing any personal messages etc., it all seems distant and remote almost inaccessible to some. It’s as feeling an emptiness and confusion as if you’ve done something wrong , but this is the time to press on even harder.

What you need to know if you are experiencing this is that it is not a punishment from God. It’s a time of testing to see if you’ll continue doing what you’ve always done even in this time of silence. Deuteronomy 8:2

2 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3

13 “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,2 and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— 3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.

Will you continue Loving Him, Worshipping Him, Praising Him, Obeying Him? Doing what He last told you to do? How are you going to act in those times when you don’t experience any of His blessings? when you don’t receive dreams, and confirmations, those soft whispers and midnight awakenings etc?

In those possible days, weeks, or even years in experiencing the void of God’s presence who will you become? Will you lose all that you have held onto when you were hearing from Him or will you grow stronger by doing what you have been taught? Will you remember (Psa. 77) or maybe even (Psa. 42) with the longing to hear His voice and draw closer to Him over anything else.

Truly at this point and time of your walk, it’s a clear opportunity to grow in those areas you feel a need to grow in and mature more spiritually,to become more and more like Him our pristine example.

It’s now time to get to know Him on a whole other level, that level of observing and relying solely on His character that we should long to build on each and every day.

His handiwork that’s all around us that we take so for granted, and just loving on Him because of that and not only because of the gifts and many talents He’s gifted us with.  In times like these, His grace is so present because it allows us to facilitate a breakthrough  a transformation that allows us to find new experiences of peace, joy, hope and fruitfulness like never before.

In your time of (whatever you want to call it) emptiness, dryness or distance, does it inspire you to search deeper into the love of Christ and to connect more people to His unfailing love?

Does it make you want to devote your entire existence, on completely being a temple of the Holy Spirit and allow others to be embraced through every facet of who you are in and through Him?

All that spiritual emptiness is, is a burn out which often results because of self-reliance.  Self-reliance in trying to become your own Savior rather than trusting God to complete what He said through you.

Rather than seeking God for wisdom and direction, you begin to take on every need you feel you can benefit, whether that be inside your church building or out. The only way to not feel this way is by entering into His rest.

I’m not talking about the worldly rest where everything stops but the rest where you take it to Him and leave it with Him and stay in tune with His specific directions for your life by:

  1. Thanking Him (that it is taken care of)

  2. Depending on Him (by bringing it into manifestation)

  3. Listening to Him ( in whatever He tells you to do)

  4. Obeying Him and allowing His strength to carry you through what He’s calling you up for or out of.

Our identity is not built from the number of tasks we accomplish but from our relationship with Him and His character we walk in every day.

Sooooo….. Just in case you happen to experience one of those areas of whatever you want to call it, just remember that the problem may just be you needing to REST and TRUST spiritually. I have to tell you there is nothing like spiritual rest.

BE BLESSED….( EMPOWERED TO PROSPER)

 

 

  

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