How Heavy is your Job?

THOUGHTS FOR THE BURNOUT PASTOR

by Brian Burris, Executive Pastor at Real Life Church in Springfield, IL

...in my experience, pastoral burnout can look more like low-grade depression or generalized anxiety prolonged enough to make a leader just want to quit whatever they are doing...

Have you had those days that begin with dread the moment you open your eyes? You know, you're just coming into consciousness after a fitful night of sleep. It begins to dawn on you that it's a workday, and you'll need to be in the office today. Or, worse yet, it's a Sunday, and you have to be in front of the entire congregation smiling and sharing the word of God. Several things could be happening in your life to create this dread. Today, I want to talk about pastoral burnout as one of those possibilities.

Often when we hear about pastoral burnout, we think of the pastor who falls publicly from grace, as the leader caught in adultery, or when a crippling addiction has been revealed or even the pastor who dies by suicide. I would suggest that all these things are symptoms of burnout but don't fully represent all that happens when a leader undergoes the pain and frustration of burnout. More commonly, in my experience, pastoral burnout can look more like low-grade depression or generalized anxiety prolonged enough to make a leader just want to quit whatever they are doing and live in a cabin in the woods.

Pastoring a church is unlike any other job. Whether you are a lead pastor, executive pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor, etc., if you have "pastor" in your title, this job takes on a weight different than any other occupation. On a day-to-day basis, you are called to the incredible highs of being witness to spiritual growth in those you serve, to the gut-wrenching loss of beloved members of the congregation. This work never fits in a neat 40-hour workweek, and you may rarely be recognized for the hours you put into sermon prep, discipleship, or maintenance on the church property.

Don't let me complain too much; I do love being a pastor. There are days, weeks, months that I would not trade for anything. We love what we do. We love those we serve. We answer to a higher calling. We are trained and experienced to do what we do. The contrast is that there are seasons when even the best of us feel like we could walk away and give it up at a moment's notice.

Partly this is the human condition. In every profession, leaders at the top level are burning out and walking away from time-demanding jobs and have high expectations of performance. In addition to this, pastor, the devil is coming for you. As you know, he would love to see you fail and drag an armful of people away with you. The pressure you feel is real, it's not a figment of your imagination, and it will not go away after a bit of time.

Throughout the Bible, we see giants of faith having moments in their lives where they faced some sort of burnout moment. 1 Samuel 30 tells of the raid of Ziklag while David's army was away. The real meat of the story is found in 1 Samuel 30:6a. It says," David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." Can you imagine the amount of stress David must have been under as he and his army see from far off that there are billows of smoke rising from Ziklag? Can you imagine the utter failure David must have felt as he arrived at the town and found no one there? All of their families were missing, their possessions were gone, the herds of animals were nowhere to be found. All of this devastation was landing on the shoulders of David. As a result, David's men wanted to stone him. They were angry, hurt beyond description, and wanted someone to pay for their loss.

In 1 Kings, Elijah runs into the desert for a full day to escape Jezebel, who has vowed to kill him. 1 Kings 19:3 3 Elijah was afraid when he got her message, and he ran to the town of Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 4 then walked another whole day into the desert. Finally, he came to a large bush and sat down in its shade. He begged the Lord, "I've had enough. Just let me die! I'm no better off than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down in the shade and fell asleep.

We all know the story of how Peter denied Christ three times but then was restored by Christ after his resurrection. What is interesting to me is that after Christ is crucified, Peter goes back to fishing. It may be that he genuinely resigned himself to "less than" and struggled with the thought of "how can I go back to ministry after what I've said?" That's a genuine question for many who have fallen away in their burnout moments.

It seems that the more profound/healing question is, "How do I balance the attacks from the evil one and the frustration that can come with leading people, with the glorious work of leading someone closer to the Lord?

That's not an easy question to answer. The root of the answer is based on the work that we do. This is work that the Evil One does not want to be started or completed. As a pastor, you have a target on your back and will suffer the slings and arrows of the evil one, so there is no easy answer to this question. Some of us lose battles with burnout because we look at ourselves more than we look to Christ. Some of us lose battles with burnout because we lose faith in our prayers. Some of us lose the battle with burnout because our doubts get more time in our heads than our faith; others lose the battle with burnout because we are human.

So, what do burnout symptoms look like? At the top of the list is exhaustion and fatigue combined with irritability, negativity, and feelings of inadequacy. These symptoms may create reduced productivity in your life, as well as reduced empathy for the people you serve. As a result, you may feel isolated. At this point, relationship problems and withdrawal from relationships may be developing. Finally, there are physical symptoms, including chronic headaches, upset stomach, and poor blood pressure. All this could lead to mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. We're not painting a pretty picture here, but you already know that if you are dealing with burnout.

Regardless of the reasons, there are things that we can do to guard ourselves against burnout and some things we can do if we find ourselves going through burnout.

For my time and money, the healing begins and ends with prayer. These aren't necessarily "Sunday morning prayers." The prayer that walks with you through burnout is guttural and primal. It may not be a prayer uttered with words and phrases, but a prayer communicated from your heart to God's heart. It should be a prayer unfiltered from the pain and anguish you are mired within. Your prayer should be a constant prayer that is uttered alongside the pain and frustration of burnout. Eventually, it will become the prayer that is spoken in contrast to burnout. Finally, it will be the prayer of praise as you overcome the burnout. It can't just be one prayer on one day.

Next, remember that none of us should be doing ministry alone. God didn't create us to be loners, nor did He design His church in such a way that we don't need each other. It's just the opposite. I have to ask, "how are your relationships?" Outside of prayer, the next thing that will pull you through your burnout is the intentional development of some key relationships in your life.

To begin with, does your spouse know what you are going through? More specifically, have you told your spouse what you are going through (they likely know something is up and are waiting for you to open up). Your spouse is the first person you need to tell.

Also, do you have a group of accountability friends? These are other pastors who you can confide in about your struggle. People who will listen when you need an ear to bend and correct you when you are off the path.

Do you have a group of friends that you can hang out with, people you are not leading, people who share your interests? Do you have people you can laugh with and not have any expectations or demands? They are your tribe, and they can refresh your soul just by being in their presence.

The final relationship to consider is one with a therapist. You may need to find someone who has professional insight into human behavior. Yes, you need to find someone with the same belief system as you, and yes, they are harder and harder to find, but they are out there. If you can't find one in your area, there are several who will meet with you online. A relationship with a therapist is a vital relationship to pursue and develop. You need a voice outside your head, outside your group, outside your church to offer you wisdom from God that you haven't thought of yet. A therapist is that person.

As you are putting your relationships in order, you may also need to consider taking a sabbatical. A sabbatical can be a few weeks or a few months to let someone else lead the church while you spend serious amounts of time allowing the Lord to refresh you. Refreshing can be through prayer and study or rest and relaxation. The point is to let the Lord lead you during a sabbatical.

Finally, take care of yourself. Hydrate. Exercise – (30 minutes per day). Eat well (a balanced diet with recommended portion control and protein/carb/fiber ratios). Sleep well (at least 8 hours/day). When you're facing some level of stress, it's easy to lose sight of the things that maintain your body. Now is the time to double down on taking care of your physical body and your spiritual body.

The story of David at Ziklag doesn't end with him being stoned by his men. "But David found strength in the Lord his God." (1 Samuel 30:6b). In a daring rescue, David and his men pursued and defeated the raiders, recovering all that had been taken, including David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (verses 16–31). Elijah's story doesn't end with him wishing he was dead. (Elijah is cared for by an angel, receives an audience with the Lord on the side of a mountain, and receives instructions to find his successor.) Finally, we know Christ meets Peter at the shoreline, feeds him breakfast, and offers him forgiveness. The next time we see Peter, he is preaching, and 3000 people were saved and baptized.

As pastors, we work a job that is like none other. Burnout happens. It happens because the Evil One is coming after us to kill, steal and destroy. It happens because we lose sight of the reason we do this job. It happens because we are human. The reality can be that burnout is temporary. You can recover from this and continue to be effective in the role the Lord has called you to, but you need to do the work. The work is found in your relationship with the Lord, your close people, and your body.

Your story does not end with your burnout. God has plans for you. You have much more to accomplish in ministry with the Lord. You can do this; you need to do the work.

Brian is a husband to Dottie and father of two children (Emma 20 & Nick 17). Brian has served as Executive Pastor at Real Life Church in Springfield, IL, for 14 years. He has maintained a private counseling practice for over 20 years and has worked as a school psychologist for more than 25 years. Outside of his work life, you might find him tinkering with old motors, hiking with his family, or fishing lakes and ponds.