Turn to Proverbs to discover the very best prevention for burnout
By Dean Collins
In 2021 the American Psychological Association declared that burnout and stress were at an all-time high based on surveys they conducted. The pandemic has certainly added stress to our lives in the last two years. But burnout is nothing particularly new.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders does not list burnout as an official diagnosis. In the last couple of years, however, the World Health Association has declared burnout to be a syndrome impacting a large percentage of the working population.
Not rocket science here. Unforeseen challenges created by a pandemic caused by a virus that has infected hundreds of millions have certainly added to work and life stress. One population that feels this burnout is parents. Parenting is hard enough. When you add new health and financial stressors, the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting, work, and life in general feel overwhelming to manage. The symptoms of parental burnout are similar to symptoms of burnout in general and include exhaustion, feeling tired nearly all the time, irritability, loss of motivation, headaches, detachment, and feelings of hopelessness.
Nearly everyone feels or experiences some sense of burnout at various times in life. The combination of so much to do, considerable responsibility, time constraints, and the importance of our personal relationships at different stages of life can make nearly anyone feel a bit burned out. Throw in a dose of financial stress, and it’s a sure thing.
Gain wisdom
So what can we do to prevent getting burned out? Much information to help is available in various podcasts, books, and articles. And sharing your struggles with a trusted friend or therapist can help significantly. As we look for relief in times of burnout, we should remember Solomon’s advice. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, and the first several chapters focus primarily on the overwhelming advantages of gaining wisdom.
There’s an urgency in Solomon’s tone when he says, “Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget… Do not forsake her and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.”
To succeed in life and survive difficult seasons, we need advanced preparation. Building a foundation of tools and filling our hearts and minds with the wisdom and ways of God will help us in times of great stress. But our pursuit of God must not be just historical. We must keep this approach throughout our lives. Wisdom and insight from God can and will help us on any and every day and in every situation.
Connect with God
As you read through chapter 4, you discover that wisdom and insight are more than just practical quips to guide us through the day. Wisdom and insight come through a consistent relationship with God. The love and care of God for each of us runs deep and never runs out.
Yet in seasons of stress and burnout we will often need the help of others to see and reconnect with our loving Heavenly parent who never is overwhelmed with helping his children. His reservoir of love, grace, and mercy is vast and cannot be depleted. He is never too tired to listen and is never so frustrated with us that he would turn away in our time of need.
As we build our life on a foundation of godly wisdom, we will discover the many practical benefits that come with our intimacy with our Heavenly Father, including
• Years of life will be many
• The path of righteousness will be bright and full
• Our hearts will flow from springs of life
• Our feet will turn from evil
• We will receive a garland and crown of grace and beauty
Seek daily
It is difficult to go from burnout to a life of peace with the flip of a switch. But developing the practices of seeking wisdom daily will give us a source of help and strength when stress arises. And having friends who are seekers of God’s wisdom will also be a great source of help and strength.
God placed us in a wonderful community in his kingdom. And the good news is that in his graciousness he is available every minute of every day, 365 days a year. And as a part of the family of God, our loving Father will also direct us to each other for help in our time of need.
Your time with God’s Word
Proverbs 4:5-18, 23-27 ESV
Photo by Alexandra Fuller at Unsplash.com
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