Learning to Seek the Lord’s Face in the Midst of Burnout

Have you ever focused so much attention on your ministry that you forgot what it means to be a child of God? How can we remain faithful to serve the Lord of the Harvest while not neglecting our own personal walk with Him? Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way through experiencing burnout.

While serving in ministry overseas, the vast lostness around me became overwhelming. I served in Tokyo, Japan — a city of 38 million people where less than 1% are Christian. Walking through crowded streets, surrounded by people headed toward an eternity without Christ, stirred a deep urgency in me for the gospel to be heard by the Japanese people.

In response, I immediately got involved in as much ministry as I could. I believed that the more active I was in missionary work, the more fruit I would see. However, this led me away from foundational truths — especially that apart from Christ, I can do nothing (John 15:5).

After returning from the field and starting seminary, I felt the same urgency to be involved in ministry in my local context. This led some friends and me to start a prayer and evangelism club. We met every week and constantly sought new opportunities to pray for the lost and share the gospel. I also developed a love for discipleship and began investing in guys around me — in my local church, at work, and at school.

After a year of living this way, I began to lose my zeal for the Lord’s work. Ministry started to feel like something I dreaded rather than something that filled me. I was physically and emotionally exhausted and had very little social energy. On an average day, after too much socialization, it felt like I was experiencing heat exhaustion. My throat became dry, my body was weak, and I struggled with tremendous brain fog and difficulty focusing.

When I took a step back and evaluated my life, I discovered that I had been discipling 21 guys while working 35 hours a week, taking a full course load, and helping lead two clubs. I assumed all I needed was more time in the Word and better Sabbath rhythms, but what I truly needed was a lifestyle change.

Freudenberger explains burnout in his book Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement as occurring whenever “the expectation level is dramatically opposed to the reality, and the person persists in trying to reach that expectation — trouble is on the way.” When I considered what I valued most in life — seeing abundant fruit in discipleship, being fully present and engaged in every ministry I was part of, and faithfully growing in my own walk with the Lord — I realized I had placed tremendous pressure on myself. This only added to the emotional fatigue I was already facing from being spread so thin.

Praise the Lord, a good friend confronted me after noticing the fatigue I was experiencing and encouraged me to seek counseling. At first, I responded with pride and didn’t believe I needed help. However, during my first counseling session, I discovered that I was experiencing a moderate level of burnout, and recovery could take six to twelve months depending on how I responded. I decided to step down from leadership, take a break from ministry, reduce my work hours, and lighten my class load for the next six months.

Initially, this brought a lot of guilt because so much of my identity had been wrapped up in my ministry. But I was met with the grace of God as I began to experience the healing and nearness of the Lord.

What God Taught Me Through Burnout

1. False Identity

I believed the lie that my identity came from ministry rather than from being God’s child. The Lord began teaching me to delight in Him again. I don’t need to stand out in ministry to have favor in His eyes, for God is fully satisfied with me because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.

When I find my identity in ministry and push myself beyond healthy limits, I begin to look more like the world than like Jesus (Romans 12:2). This not only led to burnout for me but also set an unhealthy example for those I disciple.

2. God Doesn’t Need Us

Burnout taught me that I am finite — and that God does not need me. I often believed that if I didn’t do something, it wouldn’t get done. But when I stepped down, others stepped in. God will always raise up His people to accomplish His purposes.

Even while sharing the gospel and discipling others, I had slowly shifted from dependence on the Lord to dependence on myself. It may have looked spiritual from the outside, but inwardly I wanted to stand out. Scripture reminds us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23, ESV).

3. Where Do We Find Satisfaction

Ministry opportunities can feel like a drug — but nothing should be craved more than the presence of God. If I neglect that, I abandon my first love. Nothing satisfies like the Lord.

Seeing fruit in ministry — watching disciples grow, sharing the gospel — is a joy. But those blessings should never come before seeking God Himself. In Luke 10, the disciples rejoiced over their authority to cast out demons, and Jesus reminded them not to rejoice in that, “but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17–20, ESV).

4. Running Our Race

God calls each believer to run the race set before us with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). This means running our race, but not competing with others. In seminary, this is especially hard. We are surrounded by future pastors and missionaries, and comparison is easy. We must remember that we are on the same team, serving the same God. Our callings look different, and God asks for faithfulness, not competition.

5. The Great Commandment

Today, I can truly say that I love Jesus more than I did a few months ago. I attribute that to the gentle hand of God leading me away from the thrill of ministry into a season of simply knowing and loving Him.

In this season, the Lord is calling me to sit at His feet — to spend more time in His Word and in prayer. He is teaching me to build my foundation on Him alone, preparing me for the ministry ahead. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Mark 12:29–31). This must not be neglected because of ministry; it must be prioritized so that God is glorified in our ministry.

If you find yourself weary or heavy-laden, I encourage you to reflect on what it means in your own life to find rest in Him. Consider the following questions:

• What are you placing your identity in?
• Do you feel the need to prove something that God has not called you to?
• Do you believe that God can continue His work if you take time to rest more?
• How is the Lord calling you to be faithful in this season?
• What stirs your affections to love Jesus more?
• Can you honestly say that the Lord is the centerpiece of your heart?