The Story:  Colossians 3:12 

The Apostle Paul urges his readers that they should act according to their new identity.  Since they are in Christ, they are holy and loved, and they have a responsibility to act appropriately.  Paul tells his readers that they should clothe themselves with humility.

Application:

Humility is being free from arrogance and pride.  It is an accurate estimation of one’s value and worth.  The lack of humility (pride) inhibits our growth and is an obstacle to contentment.  

Humility is in short supply in the 21st Century.  People saturate social media trying to display how great they think they are.  Between Twitter quips, Facebook posts, and TikTok dance numbers, society seems addicted to self-adulation and entertainment.  People digitally cry, “Everyone, look at me and like/friend/share me!”  The reason we all seek this is that it is pleasurable, and it’s filling.  But filling does not mean fulfilling.  Filling our minds and time with entertainment leads to meaningless, unfulfilled lives. 

In this section of Colossians, Paul is urging his readers (which includes us) to cultivate the virtue of humility which is a characteristic of Christ.  We develop this characteristic by respecting and honoring others, which means our patients.  This action turns the attention away from ourselves and to others as we “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3)

Benefits

And there are multiple benefits of practicing humility.  Humility leads to more self-control, improved empathy, less anxiety, and decreases prejudice because humble people tend to accept others and their beliefs.  Humble people do not think they are entitled and generally have a better work ethic.  All these benefits strengthen our ability to be content while simultaneously limiting burnout.  It’s a win-win.

Practice

One way to do this is to compliment others and highlight their giftedness.  This attitude reveals God to others and drives us toward contentment benefiting us and others.  When was the last time you complimented your patient?  But if you need a quick dose of humility,

try eating with your opposite hand. 

Better yet, let someone else watch you do it and give them the gift of entertainment.

Contentment Key:  Humility cultivates contentment and benefits others and ourselves. 

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The Story:  Colossians 3:12 

The Apostle Paul urges his readers that they should act according to their new identity.  Since they are in Christ, they are holy and loved, and they have a responsibility to act appropriately.  Paul tells his readers that they should clothe themselves with kindness.

Application:

Kindness is a vague term that is often used interchangeably with goodness, gentleness, and generosity.  Readers can find one example of kindness in the actions of Onesiphorus. 

Nearing the end of his life, Paul writes a letter to Timothy.  Unlike his previous imprisonment, where he lived in a house, Paul finds himself locked away in a cold dungeon in Rome and wearing chains like a criminal.  Prisoners in antiquity depended on the help of others for food, clothing, and other items and not the government.  Without the help of friends or family, prisoners would suffer tremendous hardships.  As we read in 2 Timothy, most of Paul’s friends and “fellow workers” had deserted him.  But Paul tells us that Onesiphorus and his family helped Paul during his darkest days by “refreshing” him (2 Tim 1:16-18).  This probably involved food, clothing, and encouragement which was characteristic of his earlier assistance to Paul when Paul was in Ephesus.  

Rome is over 800 miles from Ephesus, and most likely, Onesiphorus was from Ephesus.  This journey is quite the trek for someone 2,000 years ago and would have taken weeks to sail.  Onesiphorus and his family exemplified dedication and kindness.

In this section of Colossians, Paul is urging his readers (which includes us) to cultivate the virtue of kindness which is a characteristic of Christ.  Kindness doesn’t have to be a heroic act.  We don’t have to travel 800 miles to show kindness.

Placing an IV more gently, speaking softer to patients, or allowing a co-worker to vent to you without judgment are all examples of acts of kindness.

Contentment Key:  An act of kindness often takes minimal effort but has maximal benefit.

The post We Need More Kindness appeared first on Jim Damron.

The Apostle Paul urges his readers that they should act according to their new identity.  Since they are in Christ, they are holy and loved, and they have a responsibility to act appropriately.  Paul tells his readers that they should clothe themselves with compassion.

Application:

Compassion means to suffer with someone.  It’s the ability to bear someone’s suffering with the desire to alleviate it.  Practically all caregivers possess this compassionate flame, but burnout can extinguish it.  Often people think the cause of their burnout is showing too much compassion and seek to minimize these feelings to mitigate burnout.  But this thought is not supported.  Research demonstrates that offering more compassion decreases burnout.

In this section of Colossians, Paul urges his readers (which includes us) to cultivate the virtue of compassion, which is a characteristic of Christ.  Christ often had compassion on people (Matt 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, 20:34), resulting in healings, feedings, and sharing the good news of grace and new life.  Compassion wasn’t just an emotion.  It was an act.  So the next time an opportunity comes to show compassion, don’t dismiss it.  Please take advantage of it.  You’ll be displaying Christ-like character and mitigating burnout.

Contentment Key:  Compassion is a Christ-like characteristic that decreases burnout.

Start learning contentment with a 1-on-1 conversation HERE

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Elijah has a showdown with King Ahab and the people of Israel.  It’s time to make a choice:  follow God or follow Baal.  The prophets of Baal prayed to their god, and after hours of shouting, dancing, and grotesque self-mutilation, nothing happened.  Then Elijah stepped in.  God answered his prayer and showed up.  As a result, the people of Israel killed the prophets of Baal, and Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, became enraged and put a price on Elijah’s head.  Elijah ran for his life, left his servants, and prayed that God would end his life.  God’s antidote:  Sleep

Application:

There is a plethora of literature that explains the benefits of sleep and rest.  Sleep balances hormones, resets your autonomic nervous system, and helps your brain and body recover from stress.  God knew what he was doing when He initiated the Sabbath – a day of rest.  Rest is a gift.  Taking a day off from work and resting by focusing on your Creator is your way of telling God He’s in control.  It’s the ultimate practice of trust.

It’s easy to talk ourselves out of taking a day off, especially if you’re a caregiver.  But are you that arrogant to think that life will fall apart without your input?  Yes, people need you and depend on you.  But you will be less productive and effective if you don’t take time off.  Refusing to rest is telling God that you don’t trust Him.

At the heart of contentment is learning to trust God, especially with our work.  Limit burnout and take a step toward contentment by trusting God with one day of rest. 

Contentment Key:  Taking a Sabbath is telling God, “I trust You.”

Start your journey on the road to contentment HERE

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The political powers of Jerusalem feel threatened.  A follower of Jesus betrays his teacher for money, and Jesus faces an illegal trial that will undoubtedly lead to his suffering and death.  It’s Friday.  It’s a horrible, dark day.

Application:

Imagine your football team is playing in the Super Bowl (for some of us, it may take quite a bit of imagination).  It’s four quarters of an intense back and forth showdown that keeps you on the edge of your seat, screaming in excitement when your team scores and jeering in disgust when the other team does.  In the end, your team wins, but it was a nail biter.  

Now imagine your friend wasn’t able to watch the Super Bowl but recorded the game.  You watch it with him and say nothing.  Like you, your friend screams and jeers in the same moments you did, but you refrain.  Why?  Because you know what happens.

Good Friday wasn’t considered good until the following Sunday.  On Friday, Roman guards beat Jesus to a bloody mess, ripped his flesh from his body with whips, and allowed him to slowly suffocate while the tendons and bones in his wrists and ankles supported his weight on a wooden cross crafted for execution.  On Sunday, everything changed.  Christ raised from the dead, rendering death powerless over him.  Jesus received new life and accomplished the purpose God called Him to complete.  Finally, it was, indeed, finished.

Many of us face dark days, and maybe some of you are in the midst of horrible trials and sufferings of your own.  But the day only remains dark and destructive if we lose sight of our perspective.  Jesus knew he would suffer and die.  That idea was horrible, and he anguished over the thought.  But Jesus also knew it wouldn’t last and knew it wasn’t the end.  Jesus had an eternal perspective, which undoubtedly helped Him through the ordeal. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, contentment doesn’t mean the absence of emotions.  It denotes an underlying peace in the presence of emotions.  Having a proper perspective can assist us with attaining this peace and contentment.

Contentment Key:  Peace comes from having the proper perspective.

Start your journey toward contentment HERE

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You save up your money.  You book a much-needed vacation at a luxurious beach resort where attendants pamper you in every way.  You spend two weeks playing in the waves, lying on the beach, and soaking up the rays.  Your only concern is to decide what to eat:  the lobster or the steak or both.  Life couldn’t be more relaxing.

You return home with a glow of optimism, a slight tan, and a seemingly permanent smile on your face.  But the second you step in to the workplace, everything changes.

Your smile turns to a scowl.  Your pleasant disposition turns back to cynicism, and even your suntan seems to fade.  How can two weeks of bliss disappear in one second?  Why is my tank suddenly empty again after a refueling vacation?

Answer:  Because you haven’t dealt with the problem.

Leaders painstakingly try to fix workplace burnout because burnout is costly:  emotionally, physically, and financially.  But burnout is not the problem.  It’s a syndrome, a collection of symptoms.

When we try to treat or manage burnout, we often fall short.  The reason is that we are not dealing with the real problem.

Vacations are to burnout as Tylenol is to pain. 

Tylenol may alleviate the symptom temporarily, but it’s not dealing with the source of the pain.  We have to get to the real problem.  Don’t get me wrong, managing burnout is important and essential (that’s why I wrote a book on it), but it has to be in conjunction with diagnosing the cause of the burnout.

Solution:

Each one of us is unique.  What is causing you to burnout may be different than others.  Take time to discover the cause of your burnout, and you will be on your way toward contentment.  Then, that memory of the beach, lobster, and steak will sustain you for months, not seconds.

Contentment Key:  Discovering the Cause of burnout moves you closer to Contentment.

Want help getting to the cause of your burnout?  Schedule a 1-on-1 session with Jim.  Want Jim to speak at your event?  Click HERE.

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The Story:

Jonah receives a direct call from God (wouldn’t that be amazing)? Go and preach against your enemy in Nineveh. Jonah hears the Lord, packs his bags, and… runs the other way. Jonah refuses to obey God. God responds by providing, “…a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17).

First of all, I know what you’re thinking, Poor Fish! Have you ever eaten something that doesn’t sit well with you, only to vomit it up again three days later? And what did the fish do to warrant this? I imagine the fish took one look at Jonah and thought, “God, you’ve got to be kidding. I’m not swallowing that!”

Second, in Chapter 4, Jonah sat down away from the city of Nineveh to wait to see what would happen. And it’s no wonder. Can you imagine how Jonah smelled? People probably stopped him and said, “Hey, why do you smell like fish?” To which Jonah replied, “Go away, it’s a long story!” Immediately following, I think Jonah went vegetarian.

Application:

21st Century American culture tells you that to be content; you need to get out of your current situation and into a better one. Jonah thought that he could control his situation apart from God. Jonah tried, and he was miserable. He hurt others in the process, almost costing them their lives.

Contentment begins with realizing who is actually in control. Accepting this truth will start you on your path to contentment and possibly save yourself from an uncomfortable situation and feeling like a fish out of water! (Yes, I went there).

Contentment Key: True contentment is not found in our circumstances but despite our circumstances.

For more one-on-one help with burnout and contentment click HERE

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The Story:  If anybody in history had a reason to burn out, it was Jesus.

Your friend has become cynical, distant, and doesn’t seem to care about anything. Everyone labels them as “burned out.”  It’s understandable. Stress mounts up.  Work is crazy, and masks are uncomfortable. The kids can’t go to school, and the word “quarantine” has become part of the daily vocabulary. Where can one go to find respite?

Many people, including Christians and non-Christians, seek guidance from Jesus. They even used bracelets to remind them during confusing situations to ask themselves – What Would Jesus Do? It’s a valid question. If anybody understands stress, it’s Jesus. So why didn’t He ever burn out?

The Many Stresses of Jesus

Jesus’ Family Stress

Jesus faced stress at every turn. His Father died when he was young (somewhere between age 12 and his late twenties). His half-brothers and sisters probably envied him because of His exceptional knowledge and drive (Luke 2:41-47). And His mother knew who He was and undoubtedly treated him differently than her other children (Luke 1:26-38; 2:17-19; 2:26-33).  

Jesus’ Work Stress

Jesus’ ministry was full of stress. He faced ridicule and hatred from people in his hometown who tried to kill him (Luke 4:28-30). People followed him and accused him to destroy his ministry (Luke 6:6-7). He faced hatred from the highly-influential Pharisees, synagogue rulers, and crowds and criticized them for their hypocrisy (Luke 11:37-54; 12:54-56; 13:14-17). Groups bombarded him wherever he went to be healed and to hear him speak (Luke 5:15; 12:1), and He had to escape from people to get time alone (Mark 3:7-10).

Jesus’ Relationship Stress

Jesus’ closest friends never completely understood what Jesus was doing, and their behavior caused many moments of disappointment. They distrusted Jesus (Luke 8:22-25). They exhibited pride and argued (Luke 9:46-48), and they even rebuked some of His actions (Luke 18:15-17).  

More astonishing, at the end of His life, all of Jesus’ disciples abandoned Him (Mark 14:43-50), one of His closest friends denied Him (John 13:13:36-38, 18:15-18, 25-27), and another betrayed Him and committed suicide (Matt 26:14-16; 27:3-10; John 13:21-30).

Jesus’ Physical Stress

Authorities arrested and tied up Jesus (John 18:12). They whipped him, tearing open His flesh (John 19:1). Soldiers lacerated his head (John 19:2) and drove nails in His wrists and ankles so He would hang on a cross to suffocate slowly (Matthew 27:32-44). 

Jesus’ Spiritual Stress

Probably the most stressful part of the life of Jesus was the amount of spiritual stress he experienced. Tired, starving, and exhausted, Jesus faced temptation with food, power, and prestige at one of the weakest moments of His life (Luke 4:1-13). He cried deeply as his friends suffered (John 11:28-37), and he was exasperated at the thought of being crucified (Matt 26:36-39). But most profoundly, at the final moment of His life, God abandoned Him (Mark 15:33-34).

How is it possible that Jesus did not give up, quit, and leave his friends and family? How did He remain steadfast throughout all of this ordeal?

In short, how did Jesus not burn out?

Reasons Why Jesus Never Burned Out

He Had a Purpose

From day one, Jesus knew His purpose was to do what God called Him to do (John 3:38-40). All his decisions revolved around that purpose. Knowing your purpose provides direction, and without it, we lose motivation, significance, and health, limiting our lives. But Jesus also found purpose in His identity. Jesus claimed to be equal with God (John 5:18; 8:58; 10:30), and His identity was in God. When people find their identity solely in their work, they lose much of their significance and motivation to live once they retire. Our purpose is found not only in what we do but, more importantly, in who we are. And in the case of a Christian – whose we are.

Jesus Had a Plan 

Jesus kept a schedule for accomplishing His purpose. Throughout His ministry, Jesus’ decisions often revolved around timing (John 2:1-5; 7:30; 8:20; 13:1; 17:1).  In other words, Jesus had a plan for how He would accomplish His purpose. Though we may not know the exact steps, having a strategy to fulfill our purpose keeps us focused and steers us away from concerning ourselves with things that may hinder or delay our goal. As the Proverbs teach, we plot our course, but God determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Jesus Prayed 

Jesus prayed fervently. He always prayed (Luke 5:16; 11:1) and did so with passion because nothing was more important than His relationship to the Father. Nowhere is this more evident than in the high priestly prayer he prayed before his arrest and crucifixion (John 17). The apostle Paul calls on Christians to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) not in the sense that the only thing we should ever do is pray but, instead, that we pray without interruption. Like Jesus, keep prayer a priority.

Relating to Jesus

Arguably, Jesus experienced more stress than any other human being. Yet he never faltered, sinned, or burned out. Of course, many would say that was because Jesus had such an intimacy with God.  He was, in fact, God in the flesh. So He couldn’t have burned out. I beg to differ. Jesus had every opportunity to fall like we do every day. But He never did, not just because of His relationship with the Father but also because He had a purpose, plan, and a priority of prayer.  There is no better guide through burnout and toward contentment than him.

When we find ourselves burning out, we must ask ourselves why. Remember, burnout is a symptom of a deeper issue. Do we lack a purpose? A plan? A priority of prayer? If you’re like me, it’s probably a bit of all three. I’ve burned out before, twice, and I don’t ever want to burn out again. Burnout damages relationships, wrecks your health, and can hinder your faith if you’re not careful. But it can also be beneficial. Burnout told me that I am not living as Christ did, which is reason to be concerned.

Contentment Key: Burnout is God’s reminder to draw closer to Him.

To get more one-on-one help through burnout and toward contentment, click HERE

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