Burnout is characterised by disengagement, and stress by over-engagement. In burnout, your emotions become blunted; stress makes them over-reactive. Burnout causes emotional damage; stress primarily causes physical damage. Burnout affects motivation and drive; stress affects your physical energy. Depression from burnout comes from loss of hope and ideals; stress-related depression comes from your body’s need to conserve energy and protect itself. Burnout triggers helplessness and hopelessness; stress triggers urgency and hyperactivity. Burnout produces detachment; stress produces panic, phobias, and anxiety. Burnout may not kill you, but it makes life feel like it’s not worth living. So, what’s the answer? God said, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved.’ Author Bev Murrill writes: ‘Those of us in ministry run on our own very “important” treadmills. And as the leader goes, so go the followers. That’s an awesome responsibility. Those of us whose role is to influence others need to be aware of what we say and do because we’ll “be judged more strictly” (see James 3:1). We’re all sick of influential Christians falling into behaviour that disempowers those who trusted their leaders…Whether it be sexual sin, anger, self-righteousness, or dishonesty…we need to examine ourselves instead of pointing and accusing. Spend time with the One who has the capacity to strip us down to the bare bones of our heart’s cry. It’s easy to start believing your own publicity and taking the measurement of who you are from other people’s opinions…Only God’s opinion counts, and that’s hard to discern unless you take time to stop and let him tell you.’
