The email arrived at 11:47 PM on a Tuesday: “Pastor, I know it’s late, but can we talk? It’s urgent.”
Let’s call her Sarah—she could be any of us in ministry. She stared at her phone, feeling that familiar knot in her stomach. This was the third “urgent” message today. She’d already missed dinner with her family, canceled her morning workout for the fourth week straight, and couldn’t remember the last time she’d read her Bible without it feeling like sermon prep.
“I’ll be fine,” she told herself, typing back a response. “Just one more season of pushing through.”
But deep down, she wondered: Is this really what God intended for those who serve Him?
If you’re in ministry—whether you’re leading a mega-church, teaching Sunday school, or heading up the hospitality team—the risk of burnout is real. The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon characterized by chronic exhaustion, mental distance from one’s work, and reduced effectiveness. In simple terms: you’re running on empty, and no amount of coffee can fix it.
But here’s what many don’t realize: burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It creeps in slowly, disguised as dedication and masked by good intentions. The warning signs are often subtle, easily dismissed as just another tough week in ministry. And while temporary exhaustion during busy seasons is normal, chronic burnout is something different—and more dangerous.
There are key questions that reveal whether you’re heading toward—or already in—burnout. Let’s explore these signs and, more importantly, what Scripture teaches us about finding rest in the midst of service.
1. You’re emotionally exhausted (and rest doesn’t help)
The Sign: You wake up tired, go to bed tired, and even after a day off, you still feel drained. This isn’t normal fatigue—it’s a bone-deep exhaustion that sleep can’t cure.
What Scripture Says: Jesus understood exhaustion. After ministering to crowds, He often withdrew to solitary places (Luke 5:16). But notice—He didn’t wait until He was completely depleted. He made rest a regular rhythm, not a last resort.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). This isn’t just spiritual rest—it’s an invitation to cease striving and find restoration in His presence.
2. Work that once brought joy now drains your soul
The Sign: Leading worship used to energize you. Teaching children made your heart sing. Now? These same activities feel like weights around your neck. You go through the motions, but the joy has evaporated.
What Scripture Says: When the Israelites were in the wilderness, even the miraculous manna became something they loathed (Numbers 21:5). Sometimes, our attitude toward God’s work reveals more about our spiritual state than the work itself.
The Psalmist offers a remedy: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12). Joy in service isn’t automatic—sometimes it must be restored.
3. You’ve lost your sense of self
The Sign: You can’t remember what you enjoy outside of ministry. Your hobbies have disappeared. When someone asks what you do for fun, you draw a blank. You’ve become so identified with your role that you’ve forgotten who you are apart from it.
What Scripture Says: Even Jesus had an identity beyond His earthly ministry. He was a son, a friend, a carpenter. When God declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), it was before Jesus had performed a single miracle or preached a single sermon.
Your worth to God isn’t measured by your ministry output. You are beloved simply because you are His.
4. Hope feels impossible
The Sign: You can’t imagine things getting better. The thought of continuing in ministry feels overwhelming, but you can’t see a way out. You’ve lost your optimism about the future and feel trapped in an endless cycle.
What Scripture Says: Elijah experienced this. After his dramatic victory on Mount Carmel, he found himself under a tree, praying to die (1 Kings 19:4). God’s response? Not a rebuke, but rest, food, and gentle presence.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Even when you can’t see the way forward, God is already there.
5. You’re constantly overwhelmed by responsibilities
The Sign: Your to-do list never shrinks. Every completed task spawns three more. You feel like you’re drowning in obligations, and saying “no” feels impossible—after all, it’s all “for the Kingdom,” right?
What Scripture Says: Moses faced this until his father-in-law intervened. “What you are doing is not good,” Jethro said. “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out” (Exodus 18:17-18). The solution? Delegation and boundaries.
Jesus modeled this too. Despite infinite capacity to heal and teach, He often withdrew from the crowds. He understood that being available to everyone meant being truly present to no one.
6. Your spiritual disciplines feel empty
The Sign: Prayer feels like talking to the ceiling. Bible reading becomes a chore. Worship feels performative. The spiritual practices that once sustained you now feel like additional burdens on your already overwhelming schedule.
What Scripture Says: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalm 42:5). David acknowledged spiritual dryness without shame. He didn’t pretend everything was fine—he brought his emptiness honestly before God.
Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is admit you’re struggling to be spiritual.
7. You’re physically suffering from stress
The Sign: Headaches, insomnia, digestive issues, or that constant knot in your shoulders. Your body is sending distress signals, but you’ve learned to ignore them. After all, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few,” right?
What Scripture Says: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). This verse isn’t just about moral purity—it’s about recognizing that honoring God includes caring for the body He’s given you.
When God created the world, He worked six days and rested on the seventh—not because He was tired, but to establish a pattern for us. If the Creator of the universe prioritized rest, who are we to think we can do without it?
The way forward: God’s rhythm of rest
If you recognized yourself in multiple signs above, you’re not alone. Recent research from Barna Group and other ministry organizations reveals that a growing number of ministry leaders struggle with burnout symptoms. But here’s the good news: God never intended for you to serve Him at the expense of your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
As Peter Greer, CEO of Hope International, observes in his book The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good: “Without evaluating our motives, it is possible to love our service more than we love our Savior.” Sometimes, the most faithful thing you can do is step back and remember that the Kingdom of God doesn’t depend on your exhaustion.
Practical steps toward healing:
- Schedule rest like you schedule meetings. Put it in your calendar and protect it fiercely.
- Find a counselor or coach who understands ministry pressures. There’s no shame in seeking help.
- Practice saying no. Not every opportunity is a calling, and not every need is your responsibility.
- Reconnect with activities outside ministry. Remember what brings you joy apart from your role.
- Be honest with trusted friends about your struggles. Isolation accelerates burnout.
- Return to the basics of your faith—not as performance, but as relationship.
Remember: Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). If ministry feels impossibly heavy, perhaps you’re carrying burdens He never asked you to bear.
The God who commanded rest doesn’t honor our disobedience to that command, even when we disobey in His name. He delights not in our exhaustion but in our trust—trust that He can build His Kingdom without burning out His workers.
Your ministry is important. But you are more important to God than what you do for Him. It’s time to rediscover the rest He’s been inviting you into all along.
If you’re experiencing signs of burnout, please reach out for help. Consider speaking with a counselor, trusted friend, or ministry coach. Organizations like the National Association of Evangelicals, Focus on the Family, and many denominational support services offer resources specifically for ministry leaders. God’s grace extends to exhausted servants too.
