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What to Do When You’re Spiritually Exhausted
From sunrise to sunset, we work ourselves to death. We say we don’t, but in between college, work, sports, family, friends, chores, adult responsibilities, social media, meal prep, and sleep, we find ourselves overburdened and weary. Before we know it, we’re living lives that Psalm 127:2 warns against: “
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves” (NIV).
Unfortunately, this burnout and addiction to busyness are common among young adults—myself included. Even and especially among Christians, we say our “work for the Lord” doesn’t violate that verse, but did God ever ask you to push yourself to the brink of exhaustion—even when it includes 12 small groups, 3 hosted events, and 2 service projects? Of course not. According to The New York Post, a quarter of Americans experience burnout by the age of 30, but this isn’t surprising. Unless we learn what to do when we’re spiritually exhausted, and how to deal with this biblically and practically, rates will continue to skyrocket.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus challenges our fatigued states with these lines: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (NIV). A bit convicting, right? Jesus wants us to work hard, but He also wants us to trust Him—and that looks like finding a healthy balance between work and rest—not continuing to grind ourselves into the ground.
Signs of Spiritual Exhaustion
We’ve identified that spiritual exhaustion and burnout are problems for most of us. But what do we do? Here are some signs you might be spiritually exhausted:
- You feel numb and disconnected from God.
- You’ve lost passion for service (especially in the realms of faith).
- You find it hard to pray or concentrate on your conversations with the Lord.
- You continually feel lost, confused, and directionless in life.
- You isolate yourself and stop tending to physical, mental, and social needs.
- You feel like a failure or a hypocrite.
While this list isn’t exhaustive and I’m not one to hand out diagnoses, these symptoms should cause points of concern in your overall well-being. Spiritual exhaustion, also known as spiritual burnout, can present itself in many forms, but the examples above show emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and relational dysfunction. Though it’s hard to process, identifying that you’re struggling is one of the best first steps towards hope and healing.