“Loadshedding” is our country’s euphemism for rolling blackouts. A growing population, aging infrastructure, and massive corruption have resulted in power demand exceeding capacity, so the electricity utility “sheds the load” by switching off power to different areas in a complex rotating schedule. The schedule is so difficult to track that local developers have created an app to alert you when your area is about to lose power for the next few hours. Every family has their system to cope – battery-powered lights, ice packs in the freezer, thermoses for hot water, etc. 

And yet there’s that moment…the lights go off, you reach for the lantern, flick the switch…nothing. We used it last night, and the night before, and the night before. Someone forgot to plug it in. We thought we had planned ahead, but we find ourselves in darkness.

Those hours of “burnout” are manageable; we can laugh our way through the inconvenience. Emotional and spiritual burnout in ministry is a different story. Previously, we were shining the light of Christ, ministering out of the overflow of His redeeming work in our hearts, illuminating the way for others; now we are lost in our disappointment, anger, envy, bitterness. We can cause serious damage to ourselves and others as we stumble and crash in that dark place.  

When I have experienced burnout in the past, I have blamed circumstances. Our organization asked too much of us, our finances were strained, we struggled raising our kids without the support of family, our co-worker betrayed us… But just like the virgins in Jesus’ parable knew the night was coming, just like my app warns me that the blackout is coming, I should know by now that challenges are a given. The question is whether I am fueled up, ready to last through it. 

The good news is that as followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit. We always have access to over-abundant oil to fuel our faith. If we are wise, we fill our hearts in preparation for the test we know is coming. If we are foolish, we let ourselves run out, burn out, and then blame the darkness. 

If you are experiencing burnout right now, there is hope. The solution is not in changing your circumstances, but reconnecting with the ultimate source of strength that can get you through anything you might face. If you are in a good place right now, your call is the same: fuel up! Let’s not be surprised by the darkness, but be filled with the presence of Christ so that our light can burn bright.