“I wonder if it’s a hard pill for our Creator to swallow when we tell Him that serving Him has worn us out, stressed us out, or even burned us out. Imagine standing before God and saying, “I’m doing too much for You.” It’s a sobering thought—one that I’ve wrestled with myself more times than I’d like to admit.
Every time I’ve reached the edge of burnout, or gone beyond it, I discovered a difficult truth: I wasn’t really serving God. I was serving myself. Even as a pastor, I could try to convince myself and others that I was sacrificing for God’s people. It might have sounded righteous to my ears, and maybe even fooled others, but when I lay down at night, I had to face the truth. I was wearing myself out, not for His glory, but for the idol of my own ego and the approval of others.” – Darryl Jones
Who Are We Really Living For?
It’s easy to say we’re living for God, but let’s take an honest look at how we spend our day. When I add up the time I spend scrolling through social media, binge-watching shows, or focusing on myself—whether that’s worrying about what others think, stressing, or trying to get ahead—it becomes clear that much of my day isn’t really for Him.
How much of our time is actually spent for God’s glory? Are we genuinely seeking His will, or are we more focused on making ourselves look good, feel good, or gaining other’s approval?
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” — Galatians 1:10 (ESV)
A Gradual but Dangerous Shift
The shift from serving God to serving ourselves can start in small ways, but it’s dangerous. We start out wanting to glorify God, but somewhere along the way, our own desires creep in. We begin to measure our worth by what others think of us, the praise we receive, or the sacrifices we make. Suddenly, we’re no longer serving for God’s sake; we’re doing it because it makes us feel important or valued.
Burnout is often the warning sign that we’ve gotten off track. It’s the signal that, rather than relying on God’s strength, we’ve tried to do it all ourselves. Instead of resting in His sufficiency, we start striving in our own power.
Where Are Our Priorities?
Matthew 6:33 gives us a clear directive: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” But if we’re honest, how often do we seek first our comfort, our success, or our reputation?
Think about how much time we spend:
- Scrolling and consuming—looking for distraction or validation.
- Worrying and stressing—trying to control things that are beyond our grasp.
- Investing in relationships—sometimes not for God’s glory, but so that others will like us or validate us.
- Pursuing achievements—finding our identity and worth in what we do, rather than who we are in Christ.
It’s not that any of these activities are inherently wrong, but when they become the focus—when they overshadow our true purpose—they turn into idols.
Redirecting Our Focus
If we want to avoid burnout and truly live for God, we have to redirect our focus. We need to ask ourselves daily, “Am I doing this for God’s glory or for my own?” It’s not always easy to be honest with ourselves, but it’s necessary.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” — Colossians 3:23 (ESV)
Living for God means more than just doing things for Him—it means having a heart that’s oriented toward Him. It means choosing to seek His approval rather than the praise of others. It means learning to rest in Him, rather than striving in our own strength.
Final Thought
When we serve with a heart genuinely focused on God, there is peace, purpose, and joy—even in hard work. Let’s take the time to examine our hearts, our motives, and how we’re spending our days. Are we serving God, or are we serving ourselves? The answer may be a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the key to finding true fulfillment and avoiding burnout.
Minimizing me...making much of Jesus 