Wednesday 8 February 2017

Burn Out

Burnout is not being able to meet the demands placed on me anymore!

Well it happened! Crash and burn! Everything I have tried to avoid for years! Just keep going and going and going! 
It started months ago with gradually stopping my private time of talking to my Father God, the conversation always started with 'I am sorry..... '! So many distractions. Then I got into presumption, 'I can do this!'. I didn't feel God anyway so I just must keep going, keeping up appearances. 'I'm fine' and many excuses! The battlefield in my mind was strong although I still managed to keep up an outward appearance of coping! I lost sight of what is important and to see people like God sees them. I missed people's needs.

As I became more tired 
physically, mentally and spiritually my relationships suffered and little issues became big problems, I was cranky, defensive and critical, running on empty in my 'spiritual tank', 

BUT GOD
In His mercy we had a holiday booked to see the family! When we got away I was quite ill and very dehydrated and I saw that was exactly what had happened to my spirit. I had not daily drunk the water of the Word or fed on intimate times of fellowship with the Father who revives us daily. My spirit was shrivelled like a prune!! 

WARNINGS
Two friends had spoken the truth in love to me about overdoing it, Ephesians 4:25. But I had not heeded the warning or followed it up with action. Be strong enough to challenge your nearest and dearest, if they need it, as they will be thankful in the end.

Then Revelation 3:1-3. Jesus' own warning to the Church at Sardis, 'These are the words of Him Who has the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] and the seven stars: I know your record and what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead. Rouse yourselves and keep awake, and strengthen and invigorate what remains and is on the point of dying; for I have not found a thing that you have done [any work of yours] meeting the requirements of My God or perfect in His sight. So call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart and obey them, and repent. In case you will not rouse yourselves and keep awake and watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know or suspect at what hour I will come'.

Time for serious business with Father God. Who is my Lord?

LIFE GOD'S WAY
He wants it to be so simple (Luke 10:21) with Jesus at the centre of our hearts, and our focus, Matthew 5:8; Matthew 6:21. He wants the Holy Spirit to empower us for every activity not to use our own strength Romans 8:11. He wants us pleasing Him, not people, as that is best for us and He wants us to guard our mouths, Proverbs 21:23 

THE ANSWER 
Repent and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit to fill up on Him again.



Psalm 119:88 'According to Your steadfast love give life to me; then I will keep the testimony of Your mouth [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].'

Psalm 127:2 'It is senseless for me to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing I will starve to death; for God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest'. 


Rest is so important that God took it Himself! 


John 7:37-38 "Jesus stood and called out [in a loud voice], 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.'"

We are expected to live like Jesus. He was constantly available to people and power poured out of Him like torrents of 'living water' to heal, set free and deliver. John 4:10.

For me the answer ... after taking a rest/ holiday, was to have some serious time of prayer asking my precious Father God what He wanted me to do.Then asking Him to enable me to be obedient and spend lots of time worshipping and praising and praying in the Holy Spirit; that enables my mind to be focused on Jesus.

Making adjustments to my timetable is vital, Jesus must be Lord of my time. We all only have 24 hours in a day and and I am responsible to know my own limitations and not to live by others' expectations. Maybe a minimalistic lifestyle should be considered? 

Adding a balanced diet, will certainly help I just need to do it. The fruit of the Holy Spirit of self control needed “You made my body, Lord; now give me sense to heed your laws” (Psalm 119:73 TLB).


Also adding regular exercise. “Honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:20b NIV). If I choose fitness, it has to involve regular exercise.

If you are feeling exceptionally stressed check out the guage of love on your power tank. Is it full of God's Spirit? Talk to Father God about adjustments you can make today before you are totally burnt out.


For more help see www.joyforlife.org