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We humans are human, body-and-soul beings that God created to function in specific ways. In this message, Pastor Tim Glende discusses recognizing this reality and organizing our lives according to it, which might require the painful work of doing less so that our bodies have energy for what matters most.
The episodes are the weekly sermons from 922 Ministries (St. Peter and The CORE) of Appleton, Wisconsin.
Burned Out
Week 1 - St. Peter
Pastor Tim Glende
Once again, welcome to our service today and week one of Burned Out,
A survey in 2021 by indeed.com revealed statistics that probably wouldn't shock you.
That one survey had asked people across many genders and generations who are in the workforce. If you were to answer the question, do you feel burned out?
At work, fifty-two percent of people said, yes.
In just two short years and I know a whole lot transpired in those two short years that number increased nearly 10%.
In fact, more recent survey and of 2022, reveal this that nearly 87 percent of people in the workforce that at least at some point last year during the year at work, they were burned out.
There's a buzz word in our world today it's definitely a word that gets a whole lot of play when it comes to work.
Which is why it probably resonates with you when you see it on a screen, but you might be wondering why a New Year series at church titled that. Like the New Year and the start of a year. When we set some goals and have some resolution to, this is usually a time where a little bit more up and a little bit more positive and not quite yet, so burned out.
And yet I would argue with you that perhaps in the midst of a New Year the reason why we chose this theme is not just because we've heard in so many different ways over the course of the last year. That feeling was was one echoed by many of our members. But if goes far deeper than work,
A part of the reason is when we start a new year, most of us set some new goals which usually includes some new things, which means we're adding to the plate. And what most of us don't do very well is subtraction.
And I think that's really what we want you to think about with this series and my replacing it, where we are in the church year. Because we don't want you to get to July and be burned out. We'd rather be proactive, talk about the issues and address them so that you and I can be blessed in all of our Godly callings. And here's the thing that we talk about when we talk about being burned out, it's not a workplace thing. It's a life issue. Like you might feel burned out at work, but if might be because You're not physically in a good place. You might be burned out at work because relationally, you're overwhelmed. You might feel burned out at work, but the reality is you're burned out emotionally so you couldn't necessarily relate that to just work, its life. It goes beyond the 825 that you're doing right now. It's 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Which is why I really want you to think about the why behind the what of burned out. Like so for so many people burned out as a work thing. And if that's the case, then we should probably examine the numbers and look at it. What's changed? Through the last hundred years because living in America right now more than ever our culture more than ever being a Christian in America. In the light of being burned out, it is really difficult. So what's changed? I mean it's work really the problem is it causing burnout? Well, the stats from a hundred years ago, would say probably not. If you go back to 1920, the average American who was working work, six days a week versus 5. And worked eight hours or nine hours a day versus 7 to 8 today like 48 to 50 hours a week was the work week for a person a hundred years ago and we do about 10 less in our culture today. And there's some of you a little bit older, maybe grew up on a farm for the stories of your grandparents. I'm going to tell you that working from sun up to sun down on the farm. Six days a week was really hard work and would leave you exhausted. But it didn't seem like burnout was all the rage, like it is today.
So, maybe it's not work. And then add to it. Just think about the reality of 100 years. Down the road from 1920, we all have cars that get us from point A to point B in far quicker time than anyone used to be able to travel. So you have more time at your disposal even though you work less than they did. And just think of all the modern inventions that we have in society today that make our life easier and simpler than a hundred years ago. Like that thing that's in your kitchen kids called the dishwasher like your grandparents back in the day had to scrub and scrape and work and it took time. How about the laundry like that machine, you just throw it in and you drop a little gel tab that you used to have to scrub on a pan and your fingers who are you'd probably did this and your fingers bled and you to hang it up to dry. The thing that you push around the house kids, that vacuum or some of you don't even do that because you have these little things called Roomba that get hooked up to a plug that they bounce along the walls and they suck everything up off the ground. You don't have to spend any time doing it. My guess is those of you who are maybe 10 or under will never set foot in a grocery store, you'll just put your order online, you'll back your car up or have it delivered like, you know, how much time we have at our disposal because of the advances of modern society? They had less time. We have more from a work standpoint that were far more burned out. Why ?
Like if I, maybe just touched a chord with you, can I make an ask of you that over the next few weeks you will come back?
Because I don't want you to journey down the path to burn out. Here's a working definition, I want you to see for what we're talking about, how we get from point A to point B of burnout like no one signs up for it. No one wants it to happen. It usually goes off like a bomb when it does happen. Where did it come from? Well, here's the path. These pastors kind of laid this out. I and Pastor Mike's using this downtown today. Apparently, burnout begins first with this, you compromise. You make a choice, usually. And I'm not saying every choices, right, or wrong, good or bad, but every choice comes with a consequence.
You compromised, like maybe some of the stats that help us understand burnout, is this 60 years ago in 1960, only 20 percent of mothers worked, my goes raising kids, only 20 percent of mothers worked outside of the home moms who are stay-at-home moms work a lot. They work really hard. But 60 years ago, only twenty percent of moms who had kids and younger kids worked outside the home. Today the number is 70%.
I'm not saying right or wrong? We live in a world where people get to make choices, but you know what that means. Still that, the things that moms did 60 years ago, when they stayed at home and worked, need to be done later. They don't go away. Maybe that's part of the reason. Or how about this? Maybe the compromise is your kids. I hear this poll surveyed 1,000 adults, on behalf of TD Ameritrade, point at least one child playing in a club sport. A non school team, so a team outside of your sports. In that research. Here's what they found. The average parent said they spent 12 hours a week on their kids activities. I'm not saying right or wrong. This is the judgment free zone. I was a parent who did that. But that's a choice. To compromise your schedule brings consequences.
That same survey said that nearly one-quarter of those parents got an extra job just to pay the bill.
Add to it, everything social media brings to the table, our digital driven age. It's so easy to compromise, whether it's work or relationships, families, kids, and I'm just going to be honest.
Maybe the church is a little bit of the problem.
Like, we asked you guys to give of your time and we asked you guys to group and do life together, we ask you to gather on a regular basis. Like there's a whole lot of things that are being asked, like, I don't think those things are wrong, but if we given you the impression that without doing it and doing it to the extreme, you're doing something wrong. Maybe we've caused you to compromise. Like this is all this part of the path to burnout that I want you to see and maybe think about in your life. Are you compromising? Are you working more to make more but your families paying the bill and real price? Are you compensating to give your kids every last thing possible, but it is killing your relationship with your spouse or killing you physically. Because when you compromise eventually you'll compensate. Like to do something to try and overcome and you'll try and fill the void with something. Maybe it's gifts, maybe it's something else, maybe it's booze, maybe it's alcohol, maybe it's drugs, maybe its energy drinks, which, by the way, not all are created equal and most of them are not really good to have in abundance. But that's just a different story for a different day you compensate because you're compromised. Before you know it, you won't see it. You will crash. Pat, the burnout, compromise, compensate and crash. And I want you to think about that over the next few weeks as we talk about it. Because we don't want you to end up there. What do we need to address in the meantime, what are we compensating with? What are we? What have we compromised that we can address and maybe consider that we need to do physically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally, so that we don't burn out so that we don't go there. So if you're like me at some point in 2022, you probably were you experienced that feeling of being burned out what can we do with God's help and strengthen encouragement to be resilient Christians and thrive in 2023, I'm going to work it. Look at four areas of our life and I'm going to call them the four legs of a stool because all of you like props I can have a prop that I'm going to show you each and every week but this is a stool. It's got four legs physical spiritual.
Emotional relational. Four legs of the stool that all go together. Like, if one of them is not on solid ground, it will affect the others. Like you might emotionally feel burned out but it might be due to the fact that you are burning it at both ends. Physically like the issue might be the physical leg of the stool, isn't on the ground.
Maybe it's the fact. Physically in a good place. Thank you. You're just not. You're going to talk about some of it. You're not getting the sleep that you need. You're not active. Like you should be and it's affecting you emotionally or maybe it's relationally. Like the relational piece is just a mess but it's affecting you spiritually, you see all four legs of the stool, need to be solid and strong on the ground. Like, if one of them is broken or short, you know, what happens when you sit on the chair you fall, Like we need all four on solid ground, all four really strong. We're talk about all four over the course of the next four weeks. And here's the why I want you to come to all four weeks. It's hard to be fruitful like we talked about, Jesus Roots, Spirits fruits, every year we set goals, as a church, to help you plant stronger Jesus Roots. Because we'd want for you, what God wants for you fruits? Peace and joy in your home self-control in the face of temptation, like patience and kindness. With the people, you love the most, like we want fruit for you, it, but it is hard to be fruitful. If physically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally, you are exhausted. I'm not talking about a tough week.
I mean powering through Christmas Eve and for services on Christmas Eve is exhausting like it happens in your world to like their stretches, where the rubber band gets stretched, right? Like, it's exhausting. But I know even on those weeks when I get exhausted, you know what doesn't get displayed as much as on days when I'm not fruit. Like even if you want to know if you're on the path to burn out, if maybe you've compromised, if maybe you're compensating, if your clothes ask the people in your home on a daily basis, do you see fruit Like, am I coming home? More days exhausted. And, and is my tone harsh, or loving, are my words meant to build up, or do they tear down? Or ask the people in your life. Are you being selfless or selfish fruit? Like I know that that I want more in my life in 2023 to be fruitful. Now, one it for you and God wants it for you, but you can't have it. If you're exhausted. So resiliency wise, physical spiritual emotional. We're going to talk about one leg of the stool, each, and every week.
Which leaves us today, physical.
And here's the thing about the physical leg of the stool. Like in my opinion it's one of the four and here's why we're starting here and is the most in your control
You get to make choices. About where you work. How much you work? What you spend? How much you spend? What your calendar? It looks like, and what your time gets directed toward, you get to make choices. About working out, exercising, taking care of yourself. What you put in the cart at the store, what you buy and pay for, what you slug down, your gullet, all those things are your choices, right? Like spiritually, you have some choices but the devil is hard at work. Temptation is beyond your control, right? It's going to happen like, but physically speaking almost everything in this area and we're starting here is because we believe you have there, the one that gets the right to make the choice, And as you consider that today, and as you think about the things, you might be, maybe have done to compromise or are compromising, I want you to think about some scratch, scriptural principles, I'm going to play them and give you some action items to consider so that you can be physically resilient and get that leg of the stool On Solid Ground so that you don't compromise in certain areas that will lead to burnout. And there's no better person who understands the importance of physical than our savior, Jesus. Like Mark chapter 6, Jesus true man who came to Earth, Jesus who live 33 years like you and me, Jesus was tempted in every way. Like you and me are, who had a schedule, who was busy, who had people coming after him? Who had all sorts of things? He could do choose to do understood the importance of physical resilience Jesus. In Mark, chapter 6, gives us a great example, the apostles gathered around Jesus and reported him all that they had done and taught Could you said just sent them out? They had amazing stories. All of the experience, like heart hearts were turned to God. People came to Faith. They did Miracles. Like can you imagine the disciples on fire? Just telling the stories Jesus. Can you believe what we did? Like Jesus people, like actually took it to hurt, like, Jesus. We we performed miracles. And then, because so many people were coming and going that, they did not even have a chance to eat. Jesus said to them, not only, can they just come back where they on fire? They were going to shut it down. People were crowding around them wanting more time and more attention and Jesus said come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. Jesus knew the rubber band principle. You can push only so long before you have to pause. You can go but eventually you have to slow. And so he said to his disciples, Come with me to a private place and we'll get some rest. Jesus modeled this. Like, I know it's one of those unfathomable stories in the Bible, but in the midst of the storm, the disciples are scared. The waves are going crazy, jeez. In the back of the boat dozing off for an app, like Jesus, got it. Give me the times Jesus withdrew from the crowds physically so that he could be physically resilient.
As true man. He understood that. The human body can only stretch so far and go so far that had limits. But that's not the only person Jesus the Christ was. He was true man, but he's also a hundred percent true God. That means that he was there at creation. When on the seventh day God rested. Jesus was a part of that and then on Mount Sinai when Moses received the Ten Commandments Jesus as God, was one of the ones delivering the message commandment number three. All of you memorize the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. I'm guessing your pastors did a bang-up job of reminding you about what the third commandment is all about, right? Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, gather, worship, right? It's a worship commandment. It's so much more. Like if I as a pastor, did you a disservice by not emphasizing this part of it? Then shame on me, six days, you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord, your God. Honey, you shall do? You shall not do any work? You nor your son or daughter nor your male servants are female ones, your animals or any foreigner. Nothing. Nobody. No living thing in this community does a thing Lissa finger does any work none for a whole day? None.
How many of you honor that on a weekly basis? Now, the Old Testament commandments going to say apply in all their rules and ways.
But I think there's a reason why Jesus is true man would say to his disciples come with me and get some rest as true, man. He got it as true God. There's a reason why God implemented that rule for a whole day not just for worship because you know what? They didn't do that day, 24 hours of on their knees, praying, singing, hymns. Like they worship. But wasn't that all day long? It was rest. See here's the principle that's in play when it comes to avoiding burnout so that you don't begin to compensate so that you don't ever compromise. Understand this biblical truth and principle: The Creator, God himself, Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, the Creator knows that the created has limits. How many of you can fly?
Like some of the little kids are going to us, “I could be Superman someday.” Someday you'll grow up and figure it out. You can't. If any of you think you can, let's climb up to the roof and you jump off and let's see you go. None of you will do it. Why? Because, you know, you have limits But you know what we do and almost every other area of our life that isn't quite like that, we push the limit. We work 5 extra hours a week. We take on the overtime. We add a second job.
We push the limit. We get our kids in five activities as opposed to focusing on one activity. We push the limit.
I do things with their time and schedule because we think the human body is indestructible. We push the limit.
To our detriment, and sometimes spiritually in a sinful way, it's a lack of an acknowledgement that we are the created and sometimes we've put ourselves as the Creator and God like we get to make the rules. That's not the way it works. You're created. I mean I want you to see that the Creator, Jesus, knew his disciples had limits. God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, in the Old Testament knew that his people had limits. They needed to rest. They couldn't push and push and push without pausing. But I want you to see that and hold onto that in light of this, as well as we consider today is principles King David said God you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother's womb, Christian's love this verse from to show and teach that life begins at conception but I want you to see another part of it. I praise you God, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God gave you your qualities, your strengths, your talents. God wants you to use them at work. Anyone who says Pastor Tim talked about burnout part of it must be work-related. I'm quitting my job. No, I didn't say that. That's a different sermon on laziness. God talks about that to like work and work hard and use your gifts all good but I want you to see right in here, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Like God designed you fearfully and wonderfully like sin has affected physical, resiliency, but who you are the body that you have is fearfully and wonderfully made? God designed it with boundaries, God decided and knows that there are limits like It's an amazing thing, but there is an area. There is a window there. Pretty much our rhythms that are part of the physical resilience that are common to all of us. Like you can go somewhere between six and eight and you might be different than I am or are your neighbor is, but somewhere in there is the right place for sleep and rest to make the body, really work. You're fearfully and wonderfully made to operate and getting a regular amount of sleep.
Like your body. What is the take in macros like carbs, proteins and fats? All those things are all good in the right proportions. Your body is designed fearfully and wonderfully in a good way to take in a certain amount of calories, to help you function and operate each and every day you start getting outside of the parameters. One way on either side and you get into the danger zone, right? From a work standpoint from a relational standpoint, you can only push so far so long. Like you have to know this but you have to also celebrate. God made you fearfully and wonderfully with those things in mind. And so, with that in mind, I really want you to think and understand that the Creator understands that the created has limits that you're fearfully and wonderfully made. And so we can talk about being physically resilient and areas that God would tell us do not compromise. And apply this to our life and maybe allow herself this year to be more resilient than ever and having the physical leg of the stool in the ground. Here are some of the biblical principles that I found that play into this area. Physical training is of some value. God says it's good for you to have physical training. Some value, the Bible would say it, doctors would say it, in vain, you rise, early and stamped late toiling for food, like in vain, you, you burn it at both ends, but God grant sleep to those. He loves like God, God wants you to rest. I know there are certain situations in life where these principles that were going to talk about are going to be really hard. Because there are, there are things that happen in life that make some of these things really hard. I guess not a cure-all, a be all, and end. All life is filled with sin. This is difficult and challenging. For some people physical training is not possible because of physical limitations. In the same way, the same about sleep for some people things are going on. Legs of the stool are affected. Maybe. Here's the best principle whether you eat or drink or whatever you do physically speaking, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. So here's a truth, the created knows the created has limits, so biblical wisdom for the created starts with physical limits, Like, if you look at your life right now and you know, that you have compromised an area you're working limit is been compromised, it might be time to put a physical limit. If you're overextended from other things in your schedule and a part of your life or you're not committing enough to some of the other things, we're going to talk about, what do you need to eliminate in order to do these things? So that you don't compromise, compensate and crash God doesn't want that for you to create and doesn't want that for you. You're fearfully and wonderfully made but all of us. I created which is my take away like if you want to take away just to plug on your brain when it comes to the physical leg of the stool. If the Creator understands created has limits, if biblical wisdom begins with physical limits, And I need you two to maybe take away this truth. Behave like a creationist when we confess the Apostles Creed, I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Earth,
Don't just say the words, God would have, you have a physical resiliency plan in your, at your disposal so that you can live it. I believe that God made me and all that. I am my body and all my members, he gave me eyes and ears, all these things like that first article truth with first article explanation by Martin Luther.
Behave like a creationist, you are created. The master of the universe, the creator of the universe knows that you have limits. What guidelines would he have, you consider, and use your god-given brain? That's fearfully and wonderfully made to listen to experts and apply it? Honor him with it in all your Godly Collins. If you do these things, I believe this will be true in your life in your Godly callings as a friend, as a spouse as a parent or a child as an employer or an employee as a friend in your group. Like you will bless the relationships in your life. If you will behave like a creationist The Cure you will Thrive more than merely survive. I guarantee it. God says it. You're fearfully, wonderfully made. And here's the machine gun approach to five things that it looks like to behave like a creationist and my guess is these are areas of your life that most people are willing to compromise along the way, it for something else that they believe is important. Whether it's more money, early retirement, their kids. Someone else, like, whatever it might be, behave like, a creationist.
Point number one, take your vacation time. Did you know that the United States out of 200 Nations is second to last, and how it offers vacation time? Like you live in the Great United States of America. The land of the free, the home of the brave, everything good. You know, we have it all. We're almost last on the list, on holiday, paid time and personal time off. So I need you to stop complaining about it. It's just a reality, talk to your boss about it. But I need you to take it. Sadly, so many people are willing to take the paycheck for their vacation hours and keep working because they want the money. And they pay for it. This isn't just Pastor Tim, these are experts. Just listen to me for a second. A study was done of 12,000 middle-aged men who are at high risk for heart disease, not that yet. In the end those who took more yearly vacations were less likely to die from any cause any cause include heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. Take your vacation. Vacation reduces stress, boosts brain power, improves sleep, studies reinforce it. There's a reason why I don't like staycations. I did one this last year. It will never happen again. It's not vacation. There's a reason why I go out of this country on vacation. It's not because I don't like you and don't want you to disturb me. Well that's actually true. I do like you and I don't want you to disturb me. Because it's vacation. Take vacation.
Second, get your z's. Seemed simple self-explanatory, your doctor will ask you every survey does it about seven on average is what the average person needs. You can push, you can stretch like I pulled all-nighters back in college. And you know what an all-nighter in college cost me $2, like literally sleeping for two days. Straight. Like, get your sleep, like there are times when you have to push, you won't get as much, but it will catch up with you. And every expert would tell you from physical wellness, mental wellness, the health of your body, get your sleep. Third one's this: take care of your temple. So many people said New Year's goals in this area, can I just encourage you to take care of your temple that God fearfully and wonderfully made you? You know how many of these you get one 100 years have come and gone work hours have gone down. We live about 35 more years than the average person did in 1920. Like we get this thing for a lot longer, take care of your temple, 150 minutes of activity a week is what they say on average, someone should have physical activity. Some exercise: strength training is good for your muscles and your bones like be physically active. So many people set goals, and in other areas, when it comes to New Year's, take care of your temple, be physically active. It's important. But you know what, you can't do, you can't out exercise, a bad diet, take care of your temple. The consider what you put in it. Eat good food, like enjoy a lot of foods and enjoy cheat days, and do whatever else you want to do. Like, I'm not telling you can't go through the drive-through, but take care of your temple. Eat well, exercise regularly. Do what you can to take care of this amazing thing that's fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
Point number four. Regularly Sabbath. We're going to talk about spiritual next week. So I'm not talking about the gather root. I'm talking about rest. There was a time when I burned it on every end in Ministry. My first few years of ministry, I wanted to be super Pastor, I worked all day came home ate dinner, went out knocked on doors for four hours every night for a six-month stretch. For the first two years, I probably burned it about 65 hours a week. I was being faithful in that Godly calling, but you know what? It cost me a whole lot in the relational area with my wife, like Sunday morning was over, I was burned out, I was exhausted and tired, I just wanted to take a nap and I got home, and she met me at the door with the keys in her hand and said, these are yours. Those two youngsters that are now grown up and she wasn't leaving me. She was just shopping and wanted nothing to do with the house. I don't do that anymore.
Like I'll work really hard. All of our pastors are faithful but I encourage all of them to take a day. Like enjoy a day like you might have a hobby on that day. This is not a day to run around town, and do all sorts of things that are still going to exhaust me. You like, slow down, stop and pause, rest physically.
Last one. Here it is. I'm going to fill in the screen and set boundaries for balance like you need to. Weighty work at, look at your work life right now, and you need to set a new boundary, there needs to be a ceiling. That's only acceptable because right now, you are compromising like, working out, being Physically Active, being whatever it might be, because you are pushing hard because you want to make more money, it might be because your boss is making you That doesn't mean you don't have a choice.
I'm going to talk about it next week, but, you know, they measure average, American house size, has increased 50% in the last 20 years because we need more space. Families are smaller. Because we can sometimes because we don't have a boundary on how much we think we need to make because we want to set some boundaries for balance in your physical life. What does it look like? What's the ceiling? What's the basement floor in? All those different areas, and as you consider all that, remember this last verse like to behave like a creationist celebrates, this, that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. God Lives in You. Like you were bought at a price, the Lord redeemed you body and soul, praise the Lord.
Like, if you're looking for motivation, look no further than the cross of Jesus, and the empty tomb of Jesus, the one who knew rest was important, who designed it for God's people, so that you can have eternal rest. He bought you. Bought you. He redeemed you, body and soul. Which empowers us to honor God. So, which one in the list do you want to work at? What do you need to eliminate from your current list so that you can do it. So you don't end up burned out physical resilience leg of the stool, may God bless us as we continue on for the rest of the series.