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Did you know burnout isn’t just making you tired—it’s literally shrinking your brain?
When you’re constantly stressed, your brain is drowning in cortisol, the stress hormone. And over time, that actually changes your brain’s structure:
- Your prefrontal cortex—the part that helps you focus, make decisions, and regulate emotions—begins to shrink. That’s why burnout makes it so hard to concentrate or control your reactions.
- Your amygdala—your brain’s fear center—gets bigger and more reactive. You feel more anxious, overwhelmed, and stuck in survival mode.
- Your hippocampus—which controls memory and learning—deteriorates. That’s why you’re forgetting things, struggling to process information, and feeling mentally drained.
Burnout isn’t just exhaustion—it’s brain damage.
But here’s the truth: God never designed us to live like this.
The Deeper Root of Burnout:
Burnout isn’t just a brain issue. It’s often tied to unhealed places in your past. Maybe you’ve learned to strive for approval because, deep down, you fear you’re not enough. Maybe you push yourself to the edge because you’re chasing worth that was denied to you in childhood.
Burnout thrives in the cracks left by unresolved pain, forcing us into patterns of overwork and self-reliance. And this is where it becomes idolatry.
We start worshipping doing over being, tying our value to productivity instead of resting in who God says we are. But Psalm 46:10 doesn’t tell us to “do more.” It says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
When we refuse to rest, we’re saying we trust our work more than we trust God’s provision.
The Good News: Rest is Sacred
God designed rest not just for our bodies, but for our healing. In Exodus 20, He commands us to honor the Sabbath so we can recharge and reconnect with Him. And in Matthew 11, Jesus reminds us that true rest is found in Him.
That rest is a space where He heals the unhealed places and reminds us that our worth isn’t in what we do—but in who He made us to be.
So let me ask you: Are you chasing approval or running from old wounds? Are you worshipping doing over being?
If burnout is weighing you down, it’s time to surrender. Rest isn’t weakness—it’s an act of trust.
Step back. Breathe. Heal. God’s got you.
Rest isn't a reward. It's a necessity.
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