By Lyneta Smith
Planting new seeds is exciting, and harvesting the bounty is gratifying. But what about all the in-between work of weeding, watering, fertilizing, and pruning?
Gardening can be hard, thankless work with no guarantee of yielding a good return on our labor investment.
The same could be said for kingdom work, whether we’re ministering in our own households or local churches.
If we’re not intentional, we may burn out. Many capable, caring people have dropped out of ministry work because they lost motivation.
How to Avoid Burnout and Stay Motivated When You’re Weary
“So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” – Galatians 6:9 HCSB
We don’t have to live in a state of constant overwhelm. As God’s image bearers, He created us to be thinking, creative beings.
Here are five ways to stay motivated when we’re weary of doing good:
1) Evaluate What You Sow
We’re far more motivated to tend what we feel is vital to the nourishment of ourselves and others. When in the thick of ministry—the struggles, conflicts, and setbacks—remember the reasons for starting in the first place.
If those reasons are just as essential today, keep the end goal in mind and press through the rough patches.
2) Determine Your Season
Our motivation for certain ministries can change over time.
If your reason for starting has changed—maybe your kids outgrew a certain phase or the needs of a committee no longer match your skills—it’s okay to cull your commitment.
If years ago you committed to teaching Sunday school, serving on the PTA, coaching soccer, and delivering meals to a shut-in neighbor, you might reach a burnout stage if you keep trying to do all of that when you’ve entered a new life season. Perhaps you find yourself caring for aging parents, investing in your grandchildren, or presiding over the garden club now.
Good things in one season of life can become cumbersome in the next. We can reach a burnout stage when we tend a ministry God may no longer call us to do.
Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:30). Sometimes we have to lay down the heavy load He doesn’t intend for us to bear anymore.
3) Enjoy Sabbath Rest
God commanded the Israelites to stop all their work one day per week to replenish their spirits and adore Him. He imposed a stiff penalty for breaking the Sabbath—even carrying a load of wood was a capital offense!
In New Testament times, we still endure the consequences of disregarding a rest day. Physical, mental, family, and emotional health can suffer.
An inability to take a day off can reveal a lack of trust in the Lord.
God gives us enough time to do everything He’s called us to do. He provides all the material things we need so we don’t have to burn the candle at both ends and run on empty just to make more money.
Keeping the Sabbath can be countercultural, even in the church. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27).
Sabbath rest isn’t a restriction; it’s a gift.
We may be shocked to discover that when we take a rest, we somehow end up getting more accomplished. A day of rest and rejuvenation can do a world of good for our motivation.
4) Reject Perfectionism
A perfect recipe for burnout: Keep a Pinterest-perfect home, serve Michelin-star meals every night, excel in a career, raise well-mannered children who participate in several extracurricular activities, and top it off with a big dollop of ministry work.
During a busy season, letting go of some details can be healthy. Maybe simplifying looks like using paper plates sometimes or keeping decorations for a women’s ministry event simple.
When we prioritize what matters most in a given season, we have more space to excel in the things that really make a difference.
5) Reduce Distractions
Our devices are designed to trick our brains into thinking we’re doing something important, but in reality we’re watching pixels on a screen. Television, social media, phone apps, video games, and streaming movies stimulate our brains and can replace our God-given impulse to pursue the good purposes He made us to do (Eph 2:10).
To determine if your devices are contributing to burnout, evaluate how long you spend on screens, then talk with God about how much time and brain space your phone takes up.
We can fall under the deception that scrolling or watching a couple of movies will help us relax, but sometimes entertainment screens can make us more anxious and depleted.
Bounty Instead of Burnout
“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” – 1 Corinthians 3:7 HCSB
God places the people we minister to in front of us. No matter who the Lord calls us to minister to or what season we’re in, He’s the one who gives us the strength, focus, talent, and skill to do it.
Like gardeners, we show up and do the work, but God produces the fruit in ministry. Ultimately, when we reap a harvest, we give the Lord thanks.
Lyneta Smith
Lyneta Smith collects archaic, cool-sounding words but reluctantly edits them out for clarity. Her book, Curtain Call: A Memoir, won a Selah and Cascade award. She’s published in anthologies such as Chicken Soup for the Soul and others. She and her husband live near Nashville. You can find her at LynetaSmith.com and on Facebook and Instagram.
