Remedy for Burnout (a devotion to share)

I don't know about you all, but sometimes life just catches up with me, and I feel burned out. Friday was one of those burnout days for me. A friend called and wanted me to come out to visit her. They bought a new house and are working on it while still living in the old one. It's in the country, a peaceful place with lots of property away from the noise of the city. I decided to go. After visiting with her a little while, she was leaving to pick up her kids from school and go back home to the old house. She welcomed me to stay out and enjoy the quiet. I took her up on it. (Thanks Alicia!)

I had read the following devotion a couple of days before. I knew it was just the "medicine" I needed. I have to be reminded at times that it's not all on me. All the responsiblities, all the decisions, it can get overwhelming at times. But, when I remember to get away to a quiet place and spend some time with the Lord, I realize it's not all on me. I can then take the time to do what I should be doing all the time, casting all those cares upon Him, and trusting His leading as I go about life. It's about me depending on HIM. I have to be continually reminded. Guess I'm a bit of a slow learner. Fortunately for me, He's a good teacher, and keeps providing difficulties in life to keep me coming back to Him again and again. :o) I spent about an hour praying, worshipping and walking with the Lord. The crickets were chirping along with me. We made a great choir. :o) Well, at least I know it was a joyful noise to the Lord.

Nature brings peace to my soul. Everyone has something that "feeds" them, a place they like to go spend some quiet time with the Lord. In the summer, I like to take my beach chair and go sit down near the water at the lake. As I sit there watching the waves and feeling the sun shining on me, I am reminded how small my problems are, and how BIG the Lord is. In the winter I have a little corner in my bedroom that I like to sit in. I have a wicker chair with a soft blanket and a little table with my Bible, journal, a current book I'm reading, and a candle. I'll curl up under my blanket with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and just enjoy the solitude.

I could feel the stress leaving me and the peace enveloping me as I just enjoyed some time with the Lord. Hope you all are as blessed by this as I am, and if you need to be refreshed, that you are reminded to get away with the Lord. It's not about just relaxing, but about meeting with Him, and letting Him speak to your heart and restore your peace!

You might enjoy listening to the song, "You Raise Me Up" to the right on my blog. Very fitting! And I added it BEFORE this post.

Come Away to a Quiet Place?, by Phil Ware The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place (Mark 6:30-32 TNIV). [Emphasis added.]How do you restore your energies after you have reached thespiritual exhaustion point?What do you do when the fatigue debt has mounted so high in everydimension of your life -- physical, emotional, and spiritual --that you do not think you can do one more thing?Where do you go for renewal when plenty of sleep won't relieve thebone-weariness that pulses through every fiber of your being?These are not hypothetical questions. You probably know that frompersonal experience. There is a kind of tiredness that nothingseems to relieve. This kind of exhaustion comes at the end of along spiritual battle or from being the long-term caregiver for aloved one or from ministering to people repeatedly until you arecompletely depleted or from battling a long and debilitatingillness or from ...For many of us who have found ourselves in such wearisomeconditions, retreat and rest are often prescribed. They are alsomuch desired. Yet many find such restful retreats remedy theirweariness for just a short time, only to learn its return has leftthem feeling completely and perpetually "burned out."Elijah's example of rest and refreshment after his exhaustion is agood one. Food and rest were not enough for Elijah to be renewed (1Kings 19:1-7), although they were part of his healing. What Elijahneeded most, however, was to be in the presence of God. He neededto have God minister to him and speak directly to his heart (1Kings 19:8-18). God spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper (1 Kings19:12) and called Elijah back into service, reminding him therewere others out there still serving the LORD God (1 Kings 19:18).One of these in particular needed Elijah to prepare him to leadGod's people (1 Kings 19:15-17).Carve out some sacred space and some holy time!I am not surprised that when Jesus saw the weariness of hisapostles, the Lord not only told them to go away to a quiet place,but he also called them to be with him. Getting away wasn't enough.Resting and being alone, far away from the crowd, wouldn't rekindlethe holy fire they needed to minister. No matter how restfulretreat from the maddening rush may seem at the time, getting awayby itself will not restore what is spent. Only the presence of theLord can renew, restore, revitalize, reinvigorate, and re-establishour spirits. Only the Spirit of God, the breath of heaven, can make dry bones rise again (Ezekiel 37:1-13).

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