One conversation I have had about burnout was with Joe Novenson during a wedding we recently did together.  Joe and Barb nearly died this past year with respiratory illnesses they contracted after an exhausting holiday season.  Their loving session demanded that they learn different habits for pacing themselves in ministry. 

After numerous consultations with high level executives and much reading, Joe asked his sexton (a church custodian) to speak into his life.  The wise man volunteered that everyone should learn to ask himself four questions.  As a preface to those four questions, the sexton reminded Joe of the central lesson from the parable of the talents—return to the Master what you have received better than when you received it from him.

“So you need to learn to ask yourself about four gifts the Creator has given you, ‘Am I returning them to him better than I received them?’” Then the sexton asked Joe, “What is the first thing you have received?” 

Joe answered, “My ministry?” 

“No,” said the instructor, “Think about Adam’s first gift.” 

Joe got it, “Life.” 

“Right!” that is the first talent that you must return to the Master better than you received it, so take care of yourself,” said the sexton.  “So what was the second gift Adam received?” 

Now Joe was tracking with him so he answered, “My wife.” 

“Right.  So you need to return your wife to him better than you received her.” 

“And the third gift is my children, like Adam?” 

“Right,” answered the custodian.  “And,” he added, “it is when your children are adults that you need to ask them what you can do for them, because it is only as mature people that they know how to answer.” 

Finally, the instructed student said, “My ministry must be the fourth gift since the final thing God gave Adam was his work?” 

“Yes,” said the sexton.  “After you have figured out a plan for answering the first three questions, you can give attention to your work.” 

So there is that theme again that I noted yesterday:  you cannot be of long term and healthy service to your wife, your children, or your ministry if you are not first stewarding the gift of body-soul life that Christ gave you when he mediated the work of God’s creation.