Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Burned but not burnout (spiritually!)



Have you ever experience burned by the Holy Spirit? Me too! Do you still remember the time when you're on fire, all your energy, time, money..your whole life is dedicated for the work of God. Day and night, everything is about serving Him and His people. I've experience it. It's such a great feeling. Now, have you ever experienced burnout? NO? Impossible! You can't experience burnout if you haven't been burned by the Holy Fire.

Here's some defination of Burnout : "Burnout is a real term used in psychology to express a syndrome in which a person who works (minister), often in a high demand job (busy ministering), suddenly becomes disillusioned (lost), exhausted and disinterested (lost passion) in work. Work performance suffers (not ministering effectively anymore), the individual with burnout may seem withdrawn (give up and isolated oneself), and some people, feeling that there’s no recovery from the condition (permanently withdraw from ministry), leave careers (ministry) at which they’ve been very successful, or behave in ways that cause them to get fired (being disciplined or kicked out from the ministry). "

There're few people in the bible who experience both burned and burnout. Some of them are Moses, Jeremiah, and even Elijah. Check them out in the old testament. This is a huge topic to cover but here's my point, all of us has experience burnout or maybe some of you are experiencing it now. It is a humbling experience, it's a season where God wants to shape you, mold you and renew your strength. Based on my experience, here's some points that can lead to burnouts:

1) Overconfident
-I'm over confident with what God has done in my ministry. I forgot that it is not by me, it's God's work through me. Really! I boast, pride starts to sneak in your heart and cover your eyes. I'm doing ministry based on my knowledge and past experience with God and not by fresh revelation from Him. When there's no fresh fire and wind, when there's no fresh manna, there's no revelation.


2) Being Superman
-Being Superman is the foolish thing a christian minister can do. I've done it before. Becoming one man show. I run the show, I know everything, I handle everything and everybody just need to listen to me because I'm the superman! Well, we know that superman is a joke! What kind of superheroes wear his undies outside his pants? Even Jesus didn't do that! Guys, don't try to be Superman, doing everything on your own and assuming that God only speak to you and everything from you is right. You need the right commmunity to support you and to nourish you. When you feel tired and hopeless get someone to pray for you and give you inputs. But don't wait until you're tired. Even when you're on fire, you need people to keep you fired up...Elijah try to be superman, Moses did...but in the end he give up and as his uncle, Aaron help him doing God's work.


3) Unconfessed sin
-Be open, share to your guys about your struggles with sin. Let them pray for you. Find your mentor and ask him/her pray for you and check on you. Most of all, confessed your sin before God, He listens. When you pretend to be sinless, when you pretend not to notice how dirty your hands has become, you're actually beginning to die spiritually.


4) Connected 24/7
-Nothing can keep us on fire 24/7 other than a consistent relationship with God. we must receive fresh manna everyday. Get new ideas everyday. Read His word and obey them tho it seems ridiculous! (I'm serious!). God can only work through His servant. Let us be His servant, we learn to listen to Him, talk to Him and love Him more every day.
I like to talk more on this topic, maybe some other time :) Have a great day guys. Stay on fire!

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