Weekly Devotional: Overcoming Burnout by Seeking Rest in God
With all the demands and obligations we have in our lives, life gets busy. It can seem like we're constantly running a marathon or trying to put out a never-ending series of fires. Always being on the go can sometimes feel as if we never get a break.
Without getting proper rest, we only get closer to burnout. So, what can we do to overcome burnout or avoid it altogether?
In This Article:
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is the state in which someone is exhausted emotionally, psychologically and physically due to persistent stress and pressure.1 Burnout can be seen in many aspects of our lives, such as school, work and relationships.1 It can be hard to escape or run away from burnout, especially if we don’t see it coming. It is easy to get trapped in this thought that we are alone, facing all of these struggles on our own. We think and believe that we can handle everything on our own as we continue to push ourselves past our limits. This trap of self-reliance makes us forget that God is here to help us.
Overworking and pushing ourselves to the limit will not help us achieve anything — not when it hurts and damages our health. We need to understand that our dependence on God will help us pursue God’s plan. In the passage from Isaiah, he reminds us that even the strongest people grow tired. We can trust and hope in God to renew our strength.
God had to rest when he was creating the world as it says in Genesis. God wants us to rest, not just because it is a physical necessity — but because it is also a spiritual discipline. We can seek refuge in the Lord and rest in his peace. True spiritual rest will help us overcome burnout.
Seeking Rest in God
God promises rest to us, but we need to slow down and seek it. By resting, we acknowledge our limitations and fully trust in God’s provision. By living in a close relationship with God, we can rest in his spirit and presence. One way to overcome burnout is to dedicate one day out of the week to practicing Sabbath rest — one day fully dedicated to resting and connecting with friends, family and God. Lay your burdens and anxieties on him, lift everything that may be weighing on your shoulders up to him.
Remember to take things one day at a time. You can lean on God, for you are never alone. You can overcome burnout and find true spiritual rest in him.
Grand Canyon University is dedicated to helping all the members of the GCU community follow in God’s Word. To learn more, take a look at our Christian identity and mission. To explore more about spiritual life here at GCU, browse through our other weekly devotionals or complete the form on this page.
1 Psychology Today. (n.d.). Burnout. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
Approved by the local outreach coordinator of the Office of Spiritual Life on July 9, 2024.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
