"Understanding the Concept of Burnout and Self-Care: Lessons from Elijah in the Bible"
- ewingisabel
- May 24, 2024
- 9 min read
**Trigger Warning: Self-Harm Mentioned
(Get your journals ready for some self-reflection prompts!)
Did you know that burn out is a recognized syndrome by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2019)? If you have ever felt increasingly apathetic or cynical towards your job, were chronically exhausted, and were struggling to keep up, the WHO would have considered you to be burnt out (2019).
Journal Alert!
Think about your job for a moment. Are you a teacher? Homemaker? Retail Worker? Student? Mother?
Do you find yourself thinking things like: "Why does any of my work matter?" "I wake up feeling like I haven't slept." "I work full time and then some and am never caught up."
Answer Yes or No to the following prompts:
I am more negative than positive: Yes/No
I feel dissatisfied with my job: Yes/No
I feel constantly under pressure: Yes/No
I get irritated easily: Yes/No
I don't make time for/enjoy things I used to: Yes/No
If you answered more of these questions with Yes's than No's, you may be experiencing burn-out!
*Note this quiz was not a diagnostic tool, please see your doctor for all diagnostic and health care advice.
I know that as a Christian, if you have gone through these feelings, you probably have been reminded of Philippians 4:13, "I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me (HCSB)." You probably read this, and decided to pray for extra strength to continue pushing forward despite the feelings of burnout you were experiencing. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with praying for strength, God may want you to continue forward, but there are also times when he wants you to rest.
Written by Paul the Apostle, Philippians 4:13 was never intended to tell readers that they should do ALL the things. Actually, this verse was written right after Paul explained that he had learned to be content with very little. It seems as though this verse really has nothing to do with working at all. Instead, it has everything to do with relying on the Lord to get us through hard things.
With that being said, how does God get us through hard things? The answer to this question can be found through an in depth look at Elijah in the Old Testament. First appearing in 1 Kings 17, Elijah enters the scene rather dramatically by announcing to the current King of Israel that there would soon be a drought (1 King 17:1). Right off the bat, we see a zealous prophet of the Lord, giving bad news to the King of Israel. Think of the most influential person you know, imagine having to be the bearer of bad news to them! :{}
Also, Elijah learns to lean on the Lord to supply all his needs, even having the Lord tell him where to go to be fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-6). I find this so interesting that Elijah literally was told where to go to be fed and who would feed him there! It seems like God was building up Elijah's trust in Him during this time.
Journal Alert!
Have you ever gone through a season of trust building with the Lord?
What did this season look like?
Write down some of the most memorable ways that God showed you that you could trust in Him.
Talk about the ways he spoke to you and how that made you feel.
During this time, a woman named Jezebel had a vendetta against the Lord's prophets and made it her mission to kill them all off (1 Kings 18:4). She was very successful in this mission and killed every one, but Elijah. Being the very last one alive, you would think Elijah probably would have gone off into hiding. However, this couldn't be further from the truth! Instead, God told Elijah to go present himself directly to the King (1 Kings 18:1). This was placing Elijah in grave danger of being killed by Jezebel. But, by faith in the Lord, Elijah presented himself to Ahab (1 Kings 18:16). Do you think the season of trust that Elijah had just gone through helped him have courage to make bold choices that risked his safety?
Unfortunately, the people of Israel had begun serving the false god, Baal (1 Kings 18:18). Knowing this, Elijah set out to show all the people the strength of the Lord, hoping to turn their hearts back Him (1 Kings 18:23-19). In a very dramatic display, the Lord showed all the people His might and they fell down and worshipped Him, declaring that He was God (1 Kings 18:39).
Despite the amazing work that the Lord has just done through Elijah, we see in the very next chapter that Elijah received word that Jezebel had been alerted of his presence and set out to kill him (1 Kings 19:1-2). What boggles my mind here is that all the people of Israel had just seen and declared who the Lord was and Jezebel showed no concern, still ready to kill the Lord's prophet! Hearing this, Elijah was afraid (1 King 19: 3).
Elijah, the man who had given the King of Israel (Ahab) bad news, the man who had made his presence known to the King despite the danger of being found by Jezebel, the man who had just proven to all the peope of Israel that their god, Baal, was false, was now afriad and running for his life (1 Kings 19:3). What a turn of events!
Next, I really want you to pause and think about the state of mind Elijah is in as you read about what he does. Next thing we know, he sits down under a bush and PRAYS that he might die (1 Kings 19:4). When I read this for the first time, I really had to think about his state of mind. Elijah was suddenly ready to be done with his job on Earth. He was absolutely exhausted from running for his life. He probably thought there was no way he could keep running from Jezebel. Simply put, Elijah was burnt out!
Journal Alert!
Friend, have you been in this mindspace yourself? Were you once on fire for the Lord, acting in bravery and courage as you walked in the path He layed before you? But have you found yourself having nothing left in your bucket, unsure how you are going to keep going, like Elijah?
Write about how it felt to enjoy and have passion for your work.
Think of 3 words to describe how your work makes you feel now.
Visualize a bucket that represents all the strength and emotions you have left at the end of each day, how full is that bucket?
What we see next from Elijah, I want you to really pay attention to. Instead of the Lord telling Elijah to keep running or immediately giving him his next task, the Lord let Elijah sleep and sent an angel to provide food and further rest (1 Kings 19:5-7). After this, Jeremiah writes that Elijah was strengthened and was able to then travel 40 days and nights to the Mountain of God (1 Kings 19:8). Here the Lord sent a huge wind, an earthquake, and a fire, but did not speak through any of these displays (1 Kings 19:11-13). However, at last, a gentle whisper came to Elijah, and this was the voice of the Lord (1 King 19:12). What is most interesting to me during this conversation that ensues from His gentle voice is that the Lord gives Elijah space to tell all about his feelings. Basically, Elijah tells the Lord about how zealous he once was and now how he is in danger. I think a lot of us do this when we get overwhelmed and pray about our circumstances, does this give you comfort as you think about a prophet doing the same when he was also going through a hardship?
On the feels of Elijah spilling all of his emotions to the Lord, God gives him his next task to anoint a new king over Aram, Israel, and Elijah's own successor (1 Kings 19: 15-18). Interestingly, Elijah's behavior here seems like night and day. While he was just ready to give up and die, now he set off vivaciously to accomplish the next task that God laid out for him.
Let's talk about how the Lord handled Elijah's burn-out. I think a lot of Christian's use Philippians 4:13 as a reason to pat their brethren on the back and tell them to push forward despite clear signs that they need to slow down.
Did the Lord do this to Elijah? No! In fact, the Lord gave him the self-care that his body needed to recover and carry on to his next destination. Let's look at this in 3 steps.
First, he let Elijah sleep.
Second, he nourished his body with food.
Third, he spoke to Elijah and let him talk about his feelings.
What these three things tell me is that God cares very much about our physical and mental wellbeing. In fact, did you know that when we sleep, our brains are performing the vital cleaning mechanism of removing toxins (The Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Sleep, 2015). Ridding the brain of these toxins is so important that during critical developmental periods, when exposed, toxins can actually cause developmental disorders and birth defects (Kumar et al., 2023). Also, according to the National Eating Disorders Collaboration, when our bodies are malnourished, our brains function differently, leading to both anxiety and depression (n.d.).
"Okay, so I am burnt out. I can't just quit my job!"
Let's talk about some real steps gleaned from Elijah's experience that you can take today, because let's face it, sitting under a bush instead of going to work isn't a great option.
Be honest with how you feel. Get out your journal and go back to the prompts above. Answer them truthfully. Don't let the results scare you. Invite your emotions to the metaphorical table and have a conversation with them.
Set aside a time to meet with God to talk about what you revealed while journaling. It can be early in the morning, on your lunch break, driving home after work, or even late at night, just do it. God can handle your emotions, they are not too big for Him. Remember, when He spoke to Elijah, it was in a gentle voice. He loves you and cares for you.
Take some steps to practice self-care. Get more sleep. This is a hard one, but the benefits for your brain are so imporant! Always ask your doctor first, but a good way I get extra sleep when needed is to take a low dose of melatonin and turn in early. Let your brain rest over night and clear some of those toxins. Get some good food in your body. Focus on getting in some good fruits and veggies, proteins like boiled eggs or meat, and fats such as nuts, seeds, and avocados. Focus on adding all of these foods to your diet, your brain will thank you! Again, ask your doctor before making any dietary changes.
Journal Alert!
Before entering this section, close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Focus on feeling your lungs expand in and out with air.
After completing the breathing exercise, answer these questions:
What is one part of Elijah's story that stood out to you most? Why did it stand out?
What is one step I am going to take today to practice self-care?
Friend, if you are burnt-out, I hope this story has given you hope and comfort that the Lord cares deeply about how you feel about your work, mental, and physical health. Like Elijah, He will provide for you too. Make time today to meet with Him and tell Him how you feel.
**This blog is not a substitute for health care. If you are in danger of harming yourself please call 911 or the national suicide hotline 988.
**If this blog has stirred up any emotions that you would like to talk to a professional about, please make an appointment with a Christian counselor in your area. I go to a Christian counselor myself and think they can give you wonderful tools for exploring emotions and uncovering why you think and feel what you do!
Psalm 23
"The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right path for His name’s sake Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live."
Citations:
Eugene, A. R., & Masiak, J. (2015). The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep. MEDtube science, 3(1), 35–40.
Kumar, N. N., Chan, Y. L., Chen, H., & Oliver, B. G. (2023). Editorial: Effects of environmental toxins on brain health and development. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience, 16, 1149776. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2023.1149776