April - Burn-out

Burn-out: fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.

This is a phrase I feel like I’ve talked to several people about within the past month, and I don’t think I have ever felt this definition as heavy as I do right now.

• I’m 100% fatigued.

• I am frustrated.

• I’m never not stressed.

• I feel like I overwork myself to the point where nothing seems to be accomplished.

• I feel like my whole life is an intense activity

Mentally, physically, and emotionally

And I know I’m not alone

Everyone has a lot going on…

Maybe you’re graduating college in… I don’t know… like, ten days? (*bows gracefully*—that would be me)

Maybe you’re suffering from some health issues.

Maybe you’re grieving the loss of a loved one.

Maybe you just don’t even know, but the definition of “burn-out” describes your life right now or the life of someone you know.

We’re all feeling it.

We’ve all felt it

And we’re all going to feel it again.

Parents, I see you.

Young adults whose lives consists of an endless cycle of work, sleep, repeat.. I see you.

Students, I see you.

Teachers, I see you.

The person who cannot get out of his or her own bed, I see you.

The person who is struggling alone, I see you.

I see the bags behind your eyes from the lack of sleep.

I see the grogginess in the way you walk and talk that proves all you have been doing is sleeping.

I hear the stress in the mom’s tone of voice

I feel the exhaustion as dad walks through the door.

Dinner still needs to be cooked.

Homework is still not done.

Tests have to be given and taken.

Doctor’s appointments have to be attended no matter how badly you don’t want to go because you are afraid of what he or she might say.

I hear the frustration in screams as nothing makes sense, and life isn’t fair, and you’re trying your best but all you give isn’t enough.

But it’s literally all you have.

“BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MORE! IT HAS TO BE!”

No, it doesn’t.

That’s what your mind is telling you.

That’s what my mind is telling me.

That’s how we feel, but our feelings are not always the truth.

The truth is:

We need to be kinder to ourselves.

We need to take care of ourselves.

We need to learn our limits.

Perfectionism is a blessing and a curse, but in the case of burn-out it’s definitely a curse.

No job, no school assignment(s), no “this HAS to be done.” Is worth anyone’s physical or mental health.

i’ve had that echoed to me a lot this year.

You’re still breathing… your clock hasn’t stopped.

The world didn’t end because you did this or didn’t do that.

There’s this guy named Jesus and He gives us this thing called grace.

Take it…

Burn out is real, so give only what you can.

You don’t have the power to give everything,

Only Jesus has that.

We need to accept that our “enough” that we don’t think is “enough” is enough because Jesus covered it all on the cross. Therefore, it will always be enough.

I pray that you will rest in this truth tonight.