DAILY DEVOTIONS
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"Honoring God in the Morning"
Do you have an action plan to avoid burnout? (101-5)
Written by Barry-Werner on December 25th, 2009. Posted in 1 Kings, Isaiah, Old Testament, Personal Development.
Principles, not emotions, must guide leaders. Read 1 Kings 19:1-3.
In the Maxwell Leadership Bible, John Maxwell discusses some elements of emotion in leadership.
- Emotions are wonderful servants, but poor leaders.
- How ironic that Elijah would flee from Jezebel! The courageous leader who successfully confronted 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah turned on his heels and ran from a wicked woman who threatened his life.
- How could it happen? The phenomenon of emotional burnout helps us make sense of the incident. Leaders burn out when they pay out huge emotional expenses without replenishing the inner person. Review what happened…
Elijah’s Emotional Expense
- Predicted a drought to King Ahab
- Supernaturally receives food from a widow and the birds
- Announces the end of the drought
- Challenges the 450 prophets of Baal
- Mobilizes people to eliminate idols
- Prays down torrential rain in Judah
- Outruns the storm and Ahab’s chariot
- Confronted by Jezebel; leaves his servant
Elijah’s Eventual Consequences
- Isolation: he cut himself off from friends.
- Paranoia: he felt totally alone in serving God; imagined everyone was trying to kill him.
- Exhaustion: he felt famished and lay down.
- Hiding: he got lost in a cave.
- Self-pity: he complained of no reward.
- Depression: he prayed that he might die.
- Messiah complex: he alone remained as God’s prophet.
- Empty: he had no fresh word from the Lord
Every leader faces the potential of emotional burnout. God gave several ways for a leader to keep from becoming burned out:
Understand your role and God’s role in any endeavor.
Assuming areas of God’s responsibility will quickly drain any leader.
Seek God’s wisdom and make a plan, then stick to the plan. Joshua made an effective battle plan as the people of Israel began to occupy the Promised Land and served effectively without burnout during changing and stressful times in Israel’s history.
Focus on the important not the urgent. Jesus had people pulling on Him from every direction but He did not wavier from His mission even though there were urgent needs among everyone from the sick to the misguided religious leaders.
Develop relationships to protect from isolation. Moses had an inner circle of Aaron, Miriam and Joshua. Jesus’ inner circle was Peter, James and John. These close relationships provide comfort and help share the load of leadership.
Accept that even in the busiest moments a leader needs periods of rest. The Lord established one day per week called the Sabbath rest and demanded everyone take this time of healing. Leaders that violate this principle are headed for trouble. Even the military, in the heat of one major battle right after another, will pull front line soldiers off the line for R&R (rest and recuperation) for a few days at a time.
Delegate both responsibility and authority. Retaining authority effectively blocks the stress relief a leader could have received from having a teammate.
Celebrate major accomplishments of the team or major events in the life of your teammates.
Take care of yourself. Sleep each night and healthy eating habits help leaders remain alert and focused for the day’s tasks.
Effective leaders notice when burn out is creeping in and take action to keep from being crippled by it physically and emotionally.
Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
