At What Costs?

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he 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.” Mark 6:31-32 NIV

A few weeks ago, I had a Friday to myself and decided to go out to brunch with one of my girls. During our time together, we discussed the heaviness of the seasons we were in. I was telling her that one of my goals may get pushed back, due to me not being mentally ready to take it on. In that conversation, she affirmed that it was okay for me to pace myself and slow down. As we were talking, I told her that I could technically achieve that goal. Then she asked me, “but, at what costs?” For me to take on that goal right now was going to cost me mentally, emotionally, and financially. So, I decided that I would try to tackle that goal in phases. The fact that I allowed myself to slow down has given me so much peace during this season of figuring out my next steps.

This is all to say that it is okay to take a break! Chop your assignments or goals into mini-goals. Take it one day at a time. There is nothing productive about running yourself ragged. I want to touch on the idea of burnout and what it looks like to rest in God.

Burnout

Burnout is the condition of being exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally, due to overwhelming tasks and crippling stress. You can tell you are burned out or getting to that point when you dread going to school or work, have little to no motivation to complete tasks, or have irritation with your duties. These signs are also symptoms of depression which is definitely what burnout can lead to.

Most times, when we hear about burnout, we think that it has to do with employment or school, but it can also be due to care-taking responsibilities. But for the sake of this post, we are going to focus on work and academics. These two areas can lead to burnout if you have a lot of assignments due at once, work in a toxic work environment, or are working and going to school simultaneously.

One of the first times I knew I was experiencing burnout was the summer of 2021. I was working as a Suicide Prevention Specialist and studying for the GRE, a test needed to get into some graduate programs. I was so tired all the time. I was always complaining about it. I didn’t make or have time to see family or friends. I was not having the summer I quite imagined. When it came to studying, I always said “Today will be the day that I will do better with studying.” As soon as I sat down, I always felt depleted. Nothing could energize me to study for the test. My burnout came from studying for a ridiculously hard exam and being a helping professional. Not only was I tired, but the ways I found rest were not helping either. None of these things were inherently bad but they certainly did not give me the rest God could.

Even Jesus Slept

Our ideas of rest can look very different from God’s. When you do feel like you are coming to a point of burnout or feel burned out, it is vital to be proactive, so the burnout will not become chronic or lead to the development of mental illness.

Throughout the Bible, God reminds us of Sabbath which is a day of rest and worship. Through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we see that it was Jesus’ custom to pray in solitude. Luke 5:16 states “Yet the news about him spread all the more so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Jesus prioritized His quiet time. He was human just like us. With all the miracles, teaching, and preaching he was doing, he had to find time to rest and reset. As humans, we think that things won't get finished if we rest. Social media and society in general makes rest seem like the unproductive thing. But what's truly unproductive is pouring, pouring, and….. pouring until your cup has run out. Even Jesus needed a reset.

Make Time

Last week, my teacher led a discussion about burnout and self-care. He handed us a self-care assessment. Surprisingly, I did a lot better than expected. On the back of the assessment, it asked “What obstacles get in the way of practicing self-care?” All I could think is “I guess I’m the obstacle.” We tend to get so busy with day-to-day life that when we have a break, we don’t know what to do with ourselves. Have you ever had a few free hours to relax, but instead you made plans just to keep yourself busy? Girl, me too! As the semester is wrapping up, I feel like I have all the time in the world. At first, I was just creating tasks to do just to keep myself occupied. But then I thought to myself, why don’t I use the time I do have to pray or read a book?

With rest, we have to be intentional. We have to create the time to rest. Yall know Jesus was down here doing his thang, but he definitely found his quiet time! So what is our excuse? Girl, take the day off!! He slept, he fasted, he prayed, etc., and still had confidence that everything would get done in its time. Do you feel like you have to keep going in order to make sure things are done? I get in that mindset at times as well. But we can’t get anything done if we are running on E.

It is okay. I promise. Your to-do list will get done.

Resting with God

In Luke 5:16, it says that Jesus went to pray. As humans, we cling to instant gratification. So, that might be watching TV, going to have a drink with your friends, or taking a bath. These things are not bad. I am all for a little self-care! However, sometimes, it is important to remember the quality of the rest we find in God. None of these things will fill us up the way that the Lord does. We can’t give our burdens over to our TV! In Matthew 11:28-30 it reads,

“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.”

We will still have to deal with our tasks, but He says that He will make them lighter. But do we make room for Him to fulfill that promise?

I am currently a Caseworker and the work I do is HARD. Being a helping professional, in general, is A LOT. I love my job, but I’m not going to sugarcoat that it's hard. When I get off, I do feel drained at times. On my way home, I find ways to decompress, and lately that has been with praying. I find myself praying for myself, my clients, and my coworkers. Yes, I am helping my clients through hard times so it can feel like a burden. But I know the Carrier of all burdens. I know who is working through me to help my clients. So, I make the choice to give it all over to God.

As I meditate on Luke 5:16, I remember that Jesus is a healer. He is a helping professional. He is a doctor. He is a judge. He is a teacher. He had a ministry. He was the public speaker. He had people on his hips at all times. He did say “yes” a lot. He was the brother, friend, son, etc. He is the great I am. But, He found his time to rest.

I just want to help y’all see that it is okay to rest. I want to normalize the idea of a Sabbath. I want to normalize putting your health first. I want to normalize saying “I cannot take on that task right now.” Jesus had his solitary time in a quiet place. When will you find your silence with God?