Don’t Burn Out – Keep Aflame With Passion

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

Renee and I are on vacation this week. We love this time together—just the two of us; something we have to work to get much of. When we are on vacation, we do our best to keep thoughts and talk of our daily work life on hold. Instead we just relax spending more time with the Lord in the morning, praying together, and then doing the recreational activities we both enjoy. We’ve counted times like this critical to a healthy marriage and to keep from burning out of the very thing we love—ministering to people on behalf of the Lord. Yesterday we were thanking the Lord for helping us stay fresh in our love for people and ministry, even after all these years. We know that not everyone feels that way and we don’t take it for granted. We praise God for His grace that has kept in this place.

These times of refreshing are one of the disciplines we’ve worked to keep ourselves from getting burnt out. Another is being puffed up in our minds and thinking we can do more than we can. We know we are limited in our own human flesh and wisdom. But we also know that the Holy Spirit and the grace of God indwell us—that is His ability, wisdom, and strength available to help us go far beyond what we could do ourselves.

Then, we not only get to, but we are instructed to leave our cares—the things that are really God’s work—not ours, at His feet. We are to know His will and to pray in faith according to His will. We are to take authority over demonic activity in Jesus’ name. We are to be smart enough to know our part, but then make sure we turn God’s part over to Him.

Finally, we’ve learned that we still can’t do what we are to do alone. We’ve learned this from the wisdom that God brought to Moses from Jethro. We look for people that love God and want to help carry out His will. Exodus 18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said, “Doing this yourself is no way to go about it. You’ll burn out, and the people right along with you. This is way too much for you—you can’t do this alone. Now listen to me. Let me tell you how to do this so that God will be in this with you. Be there for the people before God, but let the matters of concern be presented to God. Your job is to teach them the rules and instructions, to show them how to live, what to do. And then you need to keep a sharp eye out for competent men—men who fear God, men of integrity, men who are incorruptible—and appoint them as leaders over groups organized by the thousand, by the hundred, by fifty, and by ten. They’ll be responsible for the everyday work of judging among the people. They’ll bring the hard cases to you, but in the routine cases they’ll be the judges. They will share your load and that will make it easier for you. If you handle the work this way, you’ll have the strength to carry out whatever God commands you, and the people in their settings will flourish also.”

We are blessed to be surrounded by people God has helped us raise up into leadership. They have grown and matured and love people as we do, with God’s love. They help keep us from burning out. They willingly share the load. I grew up having learned to do things myself. It’s a curse. Helping others help you may be hard work, but it helps you keep doing the things you love with joy over the long haul.

Romans 12:11 (MB) Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame…

In His love,
Pastor Tim