Burnout: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 6:30-44)

Are you tired from serving the Lord?  Are you burned out?

Jesus has many things to teach us about ministry, the ministry he has commissioned us to do.  He has taught us that we can do his ministry by the same power he ministered in, the power of the Holy Spirit, casting out demons and healing diseases.  He has taught us that there is a price to pay, maybe even death, for such service (John the Baptist).  And here he is teaching the need for rest and faith.

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. (Mark 6:30-44, ESV) 

When the apostles return from their preaching tour in the villages Jesus recognizes their need to get away from ministering to the crowds and to rest.  But the crowds follow them, eager, it seems, for Jesus’ teaching, or perhaps for more miracles.  When Jesus sees them he has compassion and this compassion moves him to teach them.  They need direction more than miracles, but he is about to give them that too.

I love the ESV Study Bible Note on this:  “Despite his need for rest, Jesus has compassion; he sees the people as being like sheep without a shepherd (cf. Num. 27:17; Ezek. 34:4–5). In Ezekiel 34:10–16, God promises to shepherd the people again directly, since Israel’s leaders have failed. Jesus continues to teach them, functioning as the good shepherd (Gen. 48:15; Ps. 23:1–4; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 23:4) who calls for repentant submission to the messianic rule of God (see John 10:14).”

When the disciples suggest Jesus send the crowd to surrounding towns to eat, Jesus astonishes them with a command to feed the people themselves.  As we often do when the Lord gives us a command that we know we can’t fulfill, they begin making excuses (“It will cost too much!”).  But when Jesus gives us a command he expects us to trust him to enable us to obey it.

He gives the disciples an object lesson in trust.  He himself depends on the Father to work this miracle, looking to heaven as he gives thanks for the few loaves and fishes they have.  Then the Holy Spirit creates more bread and fish, much like Elijah saw oil and flour multiply in the widow’s home stores (1 Kings 17:13,14) and like Elisha saw with the meal for the prophets (2 Kings 4:42-44).  We’re not given the response of the disciples, but the fact that they took up 12 baskets full of broken pieces is simply astonishing.

God is able to take what we offer Him in faith and multiply it for His use.  And God is present to do miraculous things in the service of the kingdom.  This is undoubtedly what Jesus meant when he told his disciples that if they had faith they could say to a mountain, “Move,” and it would move (Matthew 17:20).  This is believing God to do miraculous things when we are doing ministry.

There will be fatigue from serving because our bodies’ energy can be depleted, as can our emotional energy.  But burnout comes from operating without rest and with a belief that it is up to us to make happen whatever positives come from serving.  God wants us to know that the outcomes depend on Him.