ReFresh Chapter 2 Recap

In Chapter 2 of Refresh, Shona looks back at what went wrong and led to her emotional and physical breakdown. She encourages us to reflect by “replaying” the circumstances of our own seasons of burnout. When we do this, we can see where our theology was not being lived out in  practice.

For instance, the fact that God is our Creator and we are the created has the practical implications that we are limited and must live under the limitations of our reality. When we fail to rest, we stretch the mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of us in unhealthy ways and we will pay the consequences.

Our lifestyle choices can affect our long term stability or lack thereof, as well:

• Pushing ourselves to the limits,
• competitiveness,
• unconfessed sin,
• unbelief,
• hyper-responsibility complex,
• control issues,
• envy,
• jealousy,
• idolatry,
• materialism,
• debt,
• comparison,
• indiscipline,
• a poor diet,
• poor media choices,
• perfectionism

can all sabotage our emotional, spiritual, and physical well being.

She suggests thinking back over our pace, problems, the things we could control and the trouble we couldn’t control, NOT so we can condemn ourselves in an already weak state, but so that we can avoid those pitfalls in the future.

I think she’s wise to advice that if you are currently in a season of burnout, to ask a trusted friend  or your husband to give you honest feedback about your current pace or potential pitfalls.

Some scripture to remember: 

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

I Corinthians 10:31 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”