Genesis 2:2-3. By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing, so on the seventh day, he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Mark 6:30-34 Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going, they did not even have a chance to eat, then Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognised them, they ran and got there ahead of them. So when Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he felt compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Jesus sent out the disciples two by two to heal the sick and to proclaim the Gospel. Their mission was a booming success, and they could hardly wait to tell Jesus about it.
So, They “gathered themselves around Jesus, and told him all the things, they did and taught” (v. 30).
Wouldn’t that have been fun! Can’t you imagine the excitement!
Then, after they had talked themselves out, Jesus said, “Come away into a deserted place, and rest a while” (v. 31). They were tired! Jesus could see it! They were still on a “high” from all the beautiful things that had happened to them.
They probably didn’t even realise they needed rest–but Jesus could see it. He wanted to stop them from burning out. So Jesus said, “Come away into a deserted place, and rest awhile.” There’s a time to work, and there’s a time to rest. There’s a time to produce, and there’s a time to enjoy.
So, Jesus was concerned about his followers enough he didn’t want them overworked. And it also valid for today. So, Jesus bids us come and rest awhile so to Avoid Burnout.
So today, we are looking at the question WHAT IS BURNOUT?
1) Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
I have suffered Burnout several times in my life. So how did I get burnt out in the first place if I trusted in God? Well, the answer is simple – I didn’t!
I have learnt that My strength is so limited, but God’s strength is limitless, so I draw upon that in faith. I admire people who get through stuff all by themselves. They don’t seem to need God, people, or any other intervention- they just get on with it successfully.
I know I have said this before, but I do know my weakness and limitations. I recognise that I desperately need the power of God in my life!
I am also diligent in learning and applying practical steps that help me. As a perfectionist, a high achiever, I expect far too much of myself. As a result, I tend not to give my body, mind, or spirit enough time out or flexibility to complete my tasks; I am still learning to do so.
So let’s have a little look at a few practical ways to recover from Burnout.
1) Take the time to pause and change direction by learning how you can help yourself overcome Burnout and feel healthy and positive again.
2. Adopt the three “R” approach:
Recognise. Watch for the warning signs of Burnout. Be self-aware. Listen to your thoughts and words; notice you’re the way you approach actions.
Reverse. Undo the damage by seeking support and managing stress- this is what we are doing here now.
Resilience. Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health.
3.Learn strategies to do the three “3 R’s” that you are comfortable with.
It is Spiritual to Rest!
God created light–and day and night–and the skies and the water and the dry land–and the trees and vegetation–and the sun and the moon and the seasons–and the birds and the fish–and all the animals–and finally humans. And then do you know what God did? God rested!
“On the seventh day, God finished his work which he had made.
God rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Later, God would tell us to keep the Sabbath holy–to make it a day of spiritual renewal and rest. There was nothing random about that.
God knows t we need rest and renewal. God knows that, without rest and renewal, we will wear out before our time.
When I was young growing up in Australia, most shops were closed on Sundays. Saturdays was a half day opening. Then, for most folk Sundays were for rest and renewal, and Saturday afternoon was for catching up on household stuff. Now the shops are open 24/7, and Sunday is just another hectic day.
We think we can’t take time for rest and renewal. We have to do the laundry and mow the lawn. If we do take time for rest, we do it in the most frantic way possible. Most weekends the motorways around every major city are crowded with cars full of exhausted people returning from their hectic play. We work hard, and we play hard. We’re like the driver of a car who believes that he can’t afford an oil change. Or can’t spare the car for an hour for engine service. Keep that car moving! Keep it going! Can’t take time now!
Jesus told the disciples, “Come away into a deserted place, and rest awhile.” The disciples needed rest! They needed time to recharge their batteries! So do we!
We think that we can’t take the time, but we must! We know that if we run our car flat-out, it won’t be long before our car doesn’t run at all. The same is true for us. If we run ourselves flat-out, we will one day find ourselves broken down alongside the road of life.
Jesus seeing that the disciples were tired and weary from their travels. He could have told them to pull themselves together and go back to work! But he didn’t do that.
Jesus didn’t impose any such thing on the disciples. He had concern for his followers. Jesus felt empathy for the crowd. He saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd, so he began to talk to them. He began to teach them. He began to lead them. He began to steer them along in the right direction. He became their shepherd. They brought their sick to him, and he healed them.
So, for you- who are worn out, come to Jesus, don’t allow yourself to burn out rather – hear the voice of Jesus who says,
“Come away into a deserted place, and rest awhile.”
NEW Course is going Live on Udemy on July 30th 2021. Beginners Mindfulness Masterclass for Stress Relief – See Home Page for More Details
The Mindfulness Stress Relief Master Class is designed for newbies to Mindfulness or anyone interested in learning self-awareness and improving well-being and personal growth. It will teach you How Mindfulness is used when you are feeling stressed. This course is suitable if you want to learn how to relieve your stress in a simple, practical, and fun way.
Hello! my name is Paula Rose Parish MA. my main focus is teaching Mindfulness and also advocates Holistic Living for the well-being of Mind, Body and Spirit. I love the great outdoors, crafting, my dogs, and writing, and family.
If you feel stressed or are a hyper-focused, motivated achiever, then I know you can successfully apply yourself to create a better balance in your life with Mindfulness. At times, life sucks and isn’t fair or kind. However, there is hope on the horizon. Mindfulness is a beautiful tool to help you to succeed on your journey. However, to live mindfully, you must develop what I call- Well-Habits.
The key learning points include:
· Origins of Mindfulness and why it works as it does.
· Understanding what harmful stress is and how to self-regulate it to find relief.
· Learning the triggers to stress to be better able to respond to challenging situations rather than react.
· Recognising patterns of worrying or self-criticism that often generate more stress.
· Developing practical self-care tools to help you thrive, perform at your best, and build resilience.
Course Materials
· PDF will cover the theory of each session and provide details of the home practice.
· PowerPoint slides to guide you through the course.
· Video lectures
· End of module quizzes
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Paula Rose Parish
