Wonderful article. The insight given to you by God when you wrote this article is helpful to every one of us, even those of us who are not directly in ministry. This part of the history of Elijah is a great reminder to us all that God is there for us and sometimes running the race means we need to stop and take care of ourselves to be able to finish strong and that God is the one who provides our needs, whatever they may be. Thank you Jon.
I remember you going through this. I remember sitting in your office while we both cried about spiritual warfare.
I so appreciate this article. I, too, went through this burnout in 2020, after pouring everything I had into Jericho as well as many heartaches in other areas of my life. I was drained. I was empty. It was a friend who pointed out to me that it was time to take a break and regroup, get back in touch with God, and follow some rest guidelines. First, it took about a month to be able process my emotions that ranged that ranged from severely depressed to very angry, and be able to separate myself from ministry. Then it was a process, as you so perfectly described. Someone once asked me, "Do you think God NEEDS you to do this ministry? Do you really believe He couldn't do it without you?" BAM! So, I definitely appreciate your quote "it's my job to build the church."
I believe God used a whisper because sometimes we have to stop and be still. We can't hear a whisper if we are staying busy and won't pause to listen. Sometimes we have to completely stop, get away from the noise of life and ministry in order to pay attention and reconnect with God. We are human "beings" not human "doings".
Thank you again for sharing. We all need to pay attention to the signs. Having a trusted friend to keep us in check is also great.
Having talked to you a bit back in the day about this it's great to see you sharing it here in detail along with the helpful teaching on Elijah too.
I went through my most acute form of this in the year 2002, climaxed on that New Year's Day in fact. It was during my second church plant. Drove to my Superintendent's house crying that very day.
But the steps you mentioned were part of my reassignment too. God is good, but God takes time.
Any insight into why the dialogue in 1 Kings between Elijah and God is repeated after "the gentle whisper"? Maybe that has something to do with the process "taking time"?
That would take a long time to unpack. If it is not a scribal transmission error, then I think it might have a few applications: 1) for anyone engaging someone in burnout, it is perhaps a good way to ask an open ended question, "what are you doing here?" which can be taken as the person wants to take it--it's not confrontational, but it does get to the point of why the person is in the conversation with you, or in Elijah's case, why he's gone where he's gone, alone, feeling as he's feeling. God gives us his own insight sometimes into why someone is where they are, but better to get them talking. 2) it also signals that often times we have the same answers to the questions others ask us, including God, and it signals almost exasperation in the text from Elijah (I already told you why!) in a way. But better to stay in the moment and talk about the real stuff. 3) I believe it is also a bit of a symmetrical bracket for the epiphany moments in between, 4) it may also be a challenge to Elijah who has abandoned the people after the victory, when they need his guidance, or 5) it may be a reference to why he's following the steps of Moses to Mount Horeb. (Alter offers these final 3 options which I think have some merit to explore).
All that to say, this passage has as much to say for pastors and counselors and friends walking WITH someone experiencing burnout as it does for those going through it themselves I suppose.
Yes, they are! Especially the rediscovery process. It's interesting in 1 Kings 19 even after God whispered to Elijah they have the exact same dialogue. That's always puzzled me a bit. It takes time.
This passage is where my counselor took me when I experienced my burnout. It was so encouraging to know that I wasn’t a failure. This whole post is so true for anyone in the middle and for all of us to consider our regular rhythms in life. Thanks Jon for your vulnerable post!
It's such a great chapter of the Bible. Again, it happened to Elijah (and many others in the pages of Scripture). Fortunately, God restores the broken-hearted!
Wonderful article. The insight given to you by God when you wrote this article is helpful to every one of us, even those of us who are not directly in ministry. This part of the history of Elijah is a great reminder to us all that God is there for us and sometimes running the race means we need to stop and take care of ourselves to be able to finish strong and that God is the one who provides our needs, whatever they may be. Thank you Jon.
Amen!
My job is to build my church. Your job is to make disciples. Pure gold!
Such a freeing thought!
I remember you going through this. I remember sitting in your office while we both cried about spiritual warfare.
I so appreciate this article. I, too, went through this burnout in 2020, after pouring everything I had into Jericho as well as many heartaches in other areas of my life. I was drained. I was empty. It was a friend who pointed out to me that it was time to take a break and regroup, get back in touch with God, and follow some rest guidelines. First, it took about a month to be able process my emotions that ranged that ranged from severely depressed to very angry, and be able to separate myself from ministry. Then it was a process, as you so perfectly described. Someone once asked me, "Do you think God NEEDS you to do this ministry? Do you really believe He couldn't do it without you?" BAM! So, I definitely appreciate your quote "it's my job to build the church."
I believe God used a whisper because sometimes we have to stop and be still. We can't hear a whisper if we are staying busy and won't pause to listen. Sometimes we have to completely stop, get away from the noise of life and ministry in order to pay attention and reconnect with God. We are human "beings" not human "doings".
Thank you again for sharing. We all need to pay attention to the signs. Having a trusted friend to keep us in check is also great.
Thanks Jon
So glad you are still leading and ministering. You are an inspiration!
Having talked to you a bit back in the day about this it's great to see you sharing it here in detail along with the helpful teaching on Elijah too.
I went through my most acute form of this in the year 2002, climaxed on that New Year's Day in fact. It was during my second church plant. Drove to my Superintendent's house crying that very day.
But the steps you mentioned were part of my reassignment too. God is good, but God takes time.
Any insight into why the dialogue in 1 Kings between Elijah and God is repeated after "the gentle whisper"? Maybe that has something to do with the process "taking time"?
That would take a long time to unpack. If it is not a scribal transmission error, then I think it might have a few applications: 1) for anyone engaging someone in burnout, it is perhaps a good way to ask an open ended question, "what are you doing here?" which can be taken as the person wants to take it--it's not confrontational, but it does get to the point of why the person is in the conversation with you, or in Elijah's case, why he's gone where he's gone, alone, feeling as he's feeling. God gives us his own insight sometimes into why someone is where they are, but better to get them talking. 2) it also signals that often times we have the same answers to the questions others ask us, including God, and it signals almost exasperation in the text from Elijah (I already told you why!) in a way. But better to stay in the moment and talk about the real stuff. 3) I believe it is also a bit of a symmetrical bracket for the epiphany moments in between, 4) it may also be a challenge to Elijah who has abandoned the people after the victory, when they need his guidance, or 5) it may be a reference to why he's following the steps of Moses to Mount Horeb. (Alter offers these final 3 options which I think have some merit to explore).
All that to say, this passage has as much to say for pastors and counselors and friends walking WITH someone experiencing burnout as it does for those going through it themselves I suppose.
Great insight. Perhaps God asked him a second time to give him opportunity to answer differently?
Thank you for sharing honestly Jon, the questions you pose are worth thinking a long time about! Appreciated this very much.
Yes, they are! Especially the rediscovery process. It's interesting in 1 Kings 19 even after God whispered to Elijah they have the exact same dialogue. That's always puzzled me a bit. It takes time.
This passage is where my counselor took me when I experienced my burnout. It was so encouraging to know that I wasn’t a failure. This whole post is so true for anyone in the middle and for all of us to consider our regular rhythms in life. Thanks Jon for your vulnerable post!
It's such a great chapter of the Bible. Again, it happened to Elijah (and many others in the pages of Scripture). Fortunately, God restores the broken-hearted!