Recently, I found myself feeling very easily tired and fatigued.

• Physically… I felt unable to walk as far as I usually do, without major backache and struggle. 

• Mentally… I was checking out all too often – turning to my phone for mental release. 

• Emotionally… I was fragile, snapping very easily, when with my children.

I did a bit of reflecting and realised: 

I had reached burnout!

After this realisation, I got to work cutting things out and putting space in my diary. 

Here’s where I am right now: I’ve dropped the old routine and opted for a slower summer term. I’ve mostly stayed at home and a couple of times this week, people besides me have looked after my children!

Sounds great, right?

But, the thing is; burnout isn’t just a physical issue. In fact I think burnout is mostly a spiritual concern. Burnout first happens in the soul and then can be seen on the outside.

As a result of my practical changes: My back aches are not as bad, my to-do list isn’t as long… 

Yet, on the inside: I feel bored, restless and frustrated.

Rest is not simply about an absence of work; true rest is about filling your soul, in the right way.

And this is the simple truth, folks: Jesus is the only one that is going to settle my soul. I know that if I stuff my soul full of anything besides Him I will only end up more unsettled.

Jesus himself said:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28 – 30, MSG.

I love these words from Jesus: “Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

This is all He wants me to do, at the moment: Keep company with Him so He can really, properly clean my soul out.

There’s a few things I realise as I am writing this;

1. I quite often think the solution to burnout is to do something.

Truthfully, I considered scrapbooking, reading, gardening, joining a class and taking an online course before I went with Jesus’ plan! 

Jesus’ plan is slow. It’s steady. It is not about filling my soul with other things, no matter how refreshing they seem. Instead it is just being and noticing Him as I go about my day.

I noticed Jesus speaking to me as I was doing my hair this morning. I noticed Him highlight something to me, as I had a conversation with a friend. 

I think the real solution to spiritual burnout involves waiting on God. Trusting He will fill you in a way you cannot fill yourself. 

While I wait on God, He is doing something to me. While I resist filling my time with anything besides Him, He heals me.

It is not a fast process and that is O.K.

2. I need to let Jesus show me the ropes.

All of my blog posts this year have been about Jesus leading people to full healing and full freedom. 

I’ve been drawn to write about people like Naomi in the book of Ruth, who is led from bitterness and grief to hope and a future she could never have imagined. 

I’ve also written about women that encountered Jesus and were set fully free – Not just physically healed, but emotionally and mentally.

Now, Jesus is showing me how to live freely and lightly. 

If I want to live fully free, feeling light in my soul – I need to let Him show me what to do. I can’t put expectations on what He’s going to do or how He is going to do it.

I need to listen to where He leads.

And, as much as it bugs me, He is first leading me to face the ugly stuff.

Jesus wants to help me weed out bits of comparison and people pleasing that have crept back into my soul, without me fully realising. 

As these things rear their heads I can either choose to push them aside or I can say: “O.K, Lord, I trust you and your full healing. Let’s go there. Let’s do it your way.” 

I can tell Him what’s under my discontentedness. I can be honest, I can repent and be free.

From Burnout to Boredom…

Before writing this post, I imagined a scale with “burnout” at one end and “boredom” at the other. 

My quest was to find a place in between those two states of burnout and boredom! I thought those two things were opposite conditions. Things to avoid.

Now, I sit here realising that going from burnout to boredom is a completely normal part of Jesus’ healing process. 

As I write, I am starting to realise that being bored is a gift. Being bored means that you are not stuffing your soul with things that can never satisfy you. 

Being bored is about letting everything be and simply assessing what is inside of you.

So, here I am, coming out of burnout and entering boredom with my arms wide open to whatever Jesus wants to do.

I want Him to fill me. As uncomfortable as the process is, I know that following Him is the very best plan for my life. 

I don’t know where my words find you, but I do know that I am probably not the only one trying to overcome burnout. 

I just want to give you permission to be totally bored! Don’t take up gardening or sewing, just yet.

Instead, allow Jesus to do what He does with burnt out souls. Allow Him to show you a real rest.

Chat to Him as you slowly sweep the wooden floor for what feels like the millionth time!

Let Him convict you, correct you and love you in a way that only He can. 

Boredom might be an integral part of your healing process, so don’t resist it!