A few years ago, I had to take a sabbatical for the sake of my mental health. I had not only brushed up against burnout, but I was on the verge of a collapse. Part of retreating meant looking backward to all the ways I tried to handle the difficulties of life solely on my own—not with God’s strength, nor with the counsel of others.
In burnout, I tell myself to return to Paul’s prayer for the Colossians. “We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light” (Colossians 1:11‑12). Oh, to access that kind of joyful endurance when I’m tired!
We live in a rushed and complicated world with expectations multiplied through square-shaped posts and evocative videos on our phone screens. Whereas years ago we learned about other opportunities through print magazines and newspapers—something we could take or leave—social media now shouts at us about our incapability from our phones, and it parades all sorts of options we could or should be doing to have that elusive “best life now.”
It’s exhausting.
Couple that with the need to make a living, and we face the kind of pressures no society has ever faced. No wonder we’re on the brink of burnout. So what are we to do?
In surrendering our burnout, we take note of our capacities. We are not omnipotent, more powerful than wind and sky and stars, but God is. We cannot be omnipresent, in every place at every time, but God is. We are not omniscient, knowing all mysteries, but God is. Surrender means simply acknowledging that he is God, and we are not.
Those limitations, while frustrating, can become doorways of hope. The good news is that Christianity isn’t about us doing a bunch of tasks until we burn out for Jesus. Instead, it’s a recognition of our need, married to his capabilities.
Whether you have been burned out, you currently are overtasked, or you approach a season of busyness, the Lord carries it all—past, present, and future. This is good news, indeed.
Prayer
Jesus, I surrender burnout to you. All that rush and worry has me completely exhausted. Forgive me for not obeying your call to sabbath rest. I live as if everything is up to me, and I can’t seem to stop and let go. Resting is an act of faith, but burnout reveals I am relying on my own strength. I want to have holy rhythms in my life. I want to take strategic and necessary breaks to refuel and remind myself that I am far more than what I do. Thank you for modeling rest when you walked the earth, Jesus. Since I want to be your dedicated follower, I choose, too, to rest and trust you for provision when I stop striving. Amen.
This is adapted from “The Freedom of Surrender” by Mary DeMuth. ©2025 by Mary DeMuth. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com.
{If you enjoyed this blog post, you might also like this episode of The Love Offering Podcast, where Rachael chats with Asheritah Cuicui about feelings of being burdened, broken, or burned out. Together they talk about how joy can be restored through life-giving rhythms centered on Christ. We hope you will discover practical, hope-filled ways to reconnect with Jesus and rediscover joy—even in exhausting seasons. You can listen to the episode here.}
About the Author:
Mary DeMuth is a literary agent, daily podcaster at PrayEveryDay.show, Scripture artist, speaker, and the author of 50+ books, including The Freedom of Surrender (IVP, 2025). She lives in Texas with her husband and is the mom to three adult children.
