Church kids and ministry workers are a different breed of human. The desire to serve others runs so deeply that often, we don’t recognize our own needs that go unmet in the process. We’re happy to “consider others better than yourselves” (Phillippians 2:3) and “deny [ourselves] and take up [our] cross and follow [Jesus]” (Matthew 16:24-25). So, we become accustomed to grabbing a protein bar on our way out the door and later collapsing into bed after a busy day of serving. We know we’re tired, but we are conditioned to take pride in this because it means we worked hard and served well. With this mindset, it can be difficult to identify the symptoms of spiritual burnout. Often, the signs of spiritual burnout in our lives are over-spiritualized because the work we have done is good and holy. However, even righteous work can push us into burnout.
Spiritual burnout can sneak up on us, often going unnoticed until we’re deep in its grasp. By learning to recognize the early signs and understanding their triggers, we can take proactive steps to maintain our spiritual well-being and find healthy ways to serve without harming our bodies and souls in the process. This post will serve as a guide for you to identify these symptoms in your own life before they cause unhealth that could be irreversible.
Recognize the Symptoms of Spiritual Burnout
Just as you would look for cold and flu symptoms in your child or sibling when they feel unwell, we can look for specific markers in our own lives that something is unbalanced. Spiritual burnout can be like sickness because it requires time to recover and preventative measures to avoid it. If someone has ever asked you how your week was and you said “busy” or how you felt and you responded, “tired,” then it’s worth examining your life for these symptoms:
Emotional exhaustion: Feeling drained, overwhelmed, or emotionally numb during church activities, faith-based routines, or spiritual traditions.
Do you feel like you’re going through the motions when singing worship songs?
Cynicism or detachment: Experiencing a loss of meaning in rituals or beliefs that once brought joy and fulfillment.
Have words like “the gospel” or “God’s love” begun to lose meaning to you?
Decreased spiritual efficacy: Doubting your ability to hear from God or feeling spiritually numb and disconnected.
When you pray, do you feel like you’re talking to a wall?
Physical, mental, and emotional fatigue: Experiencing persistent tiredness, even after rest.
Does the thought of engaging in additional faith-based activities make you feel immediate aversion, exhaustion, or overwhelm?
Loss of motivation: Struggling to engage in prayer, Bible reading, or worship.
Does sitting down with your Bible or prayer journal sound like the last thing you want to do?
Irritability or impatience: Becoming easily frustrated with yourself or others during spiritual discussions or practices.
Do you feel increasing disillusionment with common church practices and cynicism in prominent spiritual leaders?
These questions can help you identify areas of your life where you have pushed yourself past your limits and sustained lasting exhaustion that may lead to burnout.
Understand the Triggers of Spiritual Exhaustion
Just like the trigger of a gun, a trigger can be the initial step that causes a series of events that can be hard to reverse. Like a single domino falling or a single Jenga block making the whole tower wobble, it’s easy for triggers to push us into Spiritual burnout. The unfortunate part of these triggers in a spiritual environment, though, is that they are sometimes praised and given different names. Do you recognize any of these?
- “You have such a servant’s heart. I can always count on you!”
Warning: You may be exhibiting overcommitment. You find it hard to say no, and take on too many responsibilities because you feel that people are relying on you and may experience fallout if you don’t say yes.
- “You do your work with such excellence as if you’re working unto the Lord!”
Warning: You may be exhibiting perfectionism. You go beyond a “good job” and feel the pressure to perform perfectly. Whether the expectations of yourself or others, you hold yourself to unrealistic standards, which sacrifices your time and well-being.
- “You always give your whole self to our ministry, and we applaud that you’re all-in!”
Warning: You may be exhibiting a lack of balance in your life. Because spiritual commitments are often communicated as more important than other aspects of life, you tend to neglect your own needs or the needs of your family in pursuit of spiritual goals.
- “You are so teachable! You never question spiritual authorities or question our doctrine.”
Warning: You may be suppressing unresolved doubts or questions. Just because you don’t ask questions doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Jesus welcomed curiosity and praised the courage of doubters. Your “aggreeableness” might just indicate that you’re not allowing yourself to confront and address the questions you truly have.
- “You are so mature in your faith! That’s why we gave you leadership in this ministry.”
Warning: You may be experiencing symptoms of comparison. You may have a subtle “savior complex” or feel a sense of superiority over your peers and want to help them grow in their faith. You compare your spiritual journey with others and find yourself measuring their progress against arbitrary standards or self-imposed milestones.
- “You inspire so many people. They look up to you, and you set such a good example!”
Warning: You may undermine your own needs and cave to external pressures. You may feel the weight of people’s perception of you and therefore feel the pressure to maintain a certain image of yourself which can cause you to conceal your true feelings or struggles rather than cause disappointment or surprise.
If any of these triggers have had a consistent presence in your life, it’s time to take steps to find health and balance again.
Steps to Take Immediately to Prevent Spiritual Burnout
- Be compassionate with yourself. Acknowledge that the struggles you face are normal.
- Set boundaries. Learn to say no to spiritual commitments that drain you.
- Find support. Share where you’re at with a trusted spiritual mentor, friend, or counselor. (Sometimes, it’s helpful for this person to be outside of your church.)
- Reassess your Priorities. Identify which spiritual activities truly nourish you and which may be contributing to burnout.
- Prioritize your own well-being. Make sure you’re meeting your basic needs for rest, nourishment, movement, and creativity/play.
- Explore new perspectives: If you feel stuck, take some time to visit a different church, read books from other Christian perspectives, or hear the stories of people with different life experiences than you.
- Go on a retreat. Sometimes, we have to get away to reset. Take a break from your regular routine to reconnect with God and reflect on your needs moving forward.
By staying attuned to these symptoms and triggers and taking prompt action when needed, you can prevent spiritual burnout from taking hold. Remember, a healthy spiritual life should bring peace and fulfillment, not exhaustion and despair. Though many of us have fostered spiritual habits that encourage us to neglect our physical, mental, or emotional needs – this is an unsustainable way to live. When we take the time to reset and recalibrate our rhythms intentionally to live a more balanced life, we can enjoy Christ’s beauty again while our ministry and service come out of an overflow (rather than a dry well).
