“And he [Jonah] prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD…take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”~ Jonah 4:2-3
“…he [Jonah] fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.”~ Jonah 4:8
Jonah was not the only one in the Bible who wanted to die. You can add to the list the likes of Moses, Elijah, Job and Jeremiah. These overwrought saints were at their wits end, had not God overruled. Today they would fall under the category of, “Burn-outs.”
In past years, I ignorantly used the term, “I’d rather burn-out than rust-out,” frequently. But when you think about it, it is actually an ego-sanctification statement. The choice of martyrdom is not in our hands, but God’s.
To burn-out actually handicaps us from fulfilling the will of God for our lives. There is no 110% giving to God; only 100%. We are inescapably human, after all! We are to give to God our best and leave it there. As Jesus said of Mary, “She hath done what she could,” not more.
A burn-out’s cause can fall under the heading of physical, physiological, and yes, spiritual. The law of nature is the law of God. Also, you cannot break any of His laws without paying the penalty. Knee-drill will not change the consequences of neglecting the natural.
We need to set limits for ourselves —boundaries if you please—and learn to stop at the borderline. To be sure, God sets boundaries, “Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over,”~ Psa. 104:9. It would seem that even a limitless God sets limits.
Taking a walk, reading a good book, fellow-shipping with friends and loved ones is a great cure for burn-out. Learn your limits and don’t go past them! You need to back off, from time to time. Give your brain and body a rest.
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