The Cure to Burnout
A Tim Keller Sermon Summary
When Paul prayed for the suffering Christians, he asked for a strong spirit or inner self, not for God to protect them or reduce their pain (Ephesians 3:16). Why?
A strong spirit sustains us in adversity. But we are doomed if we have a crushed spirit, with no joy or desire to live (Proverbs 18:14). What can hurt our spirit?
Physical ailments, prolonged sickness or not eating right, can bring down our spirit. For example, thyroid problems can lead to suicidal depression.
We can be brought low by a bad conscience, causing us to run in fear even with no one chasing us (Proverbs 28:1). But a sense of guilt is common.
We can be brought low if we have no friends or support. We need kind words to lift us up, a shoulder to lean on (Proverbs 12:25). But our uniqueness leads to loneliness. We don’t even understand ourselves, let alone others (Proverbs 16:2, 14:10).
We can be brought down if life has no meaning. All parties will end. One member of a happy family will see the death of the rest (Proverbs 14:13).
We can be brought down if we have no hope (Proverbs 13:12). But earthly things are transient. Resting our hope on transient things, such as money, power, traveling, fame, sex, a soulmate, or friends, leads to emptiness when we lose them, or sometimes even when we get them (Proverbs 13:12, 15:13).
So, how can we strengthen our spirit?
The tree of life in Genesis and Revelation represents the fullness of life, fulfilling our deepest longing. But when we seek to be in control, we lose it.
Christ obeyed, leading to His spirit and body being crushed on a tree. Through His obedience, we gain the tree of life.
Through Christ, God can love us as we are. We will never be alone because He will always be with us, supporting us. Death is not the end, but rather a beginning to live in a place that Christ has prepared.
So, rest your hope and faith in Christ, our loving, powerful, and wise God. He alone can satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts.
We still enjoy things on earth. We still need others around us. But our ultimate hope rests in Christ and the Gospel. This will strengthen our spirit, allowing us to taste the tree of life.
Summarized from a Tim Keller sermon.
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/the-wounded-spirit-5389/
A strong spirit sustains us in adversity. But we are doomed if we have a crushed spirit, with no joy or desire to live (Proverbs 18:14). What can hurt our spirit?
Physical ailments, prolonged sickness or not eating right, can bring down our spirit. For example, thyroid problems can lead to suicidal depression.
We can be brought low by a bad conscience, causing us to run in fear even with no one chasing us (Proverbs 28:1). But a sense of guilt is common.
We can be brought low if we have no friends or support. We need kind words to lift us up, a shoulder to lean on (Proverbs 12:25). But our uniqueness leads to loneliness. We don’t even understand ourselves, let alone others (Proverbs 16:2, 14:10).
We can be brought down if life has no meaning. All parties will end. One member of a happy family will see the death of the rest (Proverbs 14:13).
We can be brought down if we have no hope (Proverbs 13:12). But earthly things are transient. Resting our hope on transient things, such as money, power, traveling, fame, sex, a soulmate, or friends, leads to emptiness when we lose them, or sometimes even when we get them (Proverbs 13:12, 15:13).
So, how can we strengthen our spirit?
The tree of life in Genesis and Revelation represents the fullness of life, fulfilling our deepest longing. But when we seek to be in control, we lose it.
Christ obeyed, leading to His spirit and body being crushed on a tree. Through His obedience, we gain the tree of life.
Through Christ, God can love us as we are. We will never be alone because He will always be with us, supporting us. Death is not the end, but rather a beginning to live in a place that Christ has prepared.
So, rest your hope and faith in Christ, our loving, powerful, and wise God. He alone can satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts.
We still enjoy things on earth. We still need others around us. But our ultimate hope rests in Christ and the Gospel. This will strengthen our spirit, allowing us to taste the tree of life.
Summarized from a Tim Keller sermon.
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/the-wounded-spirit-5389/