Kicking God out of the kitchen + burnout

Six questions for Jose Luis Navajo

You say that it is possible "to 'cook' so feverishly for God that we end up kicking him out of the kitchen." How do we recognize if we're kicking him out?

It's possible to work so hard for God that we forget about communion with him. Mountains of work and crumbs of intimacy generate dangerous imbalance. We can be very active yet totally ineffective. Our effectiveness has everything to do with balance, joining activity with intimacy, serving God and communion with God.

What are the signs that God has left the kitchen?

Anxiety, irritability, lack of peace, feeling like service is tedious. When God exits, our former delight in serving becomes arduous, bringing no gratification.

Is burnout the only way we know what our limits are?

Not necessarily. A lot of people are prudent enough to maintain the balance between work and rest.

How does burnout compare to depression, despair, and exhaustion-are they distinct, or all related?

Burnout is a form of suffering due to prolonged exposure to emotional and interpersonal stress. Depression, despair, and exhaustion can be side effects, collateral damage, or consequences of burnout. I recommend that a qualified professional diagnose the actual harm a patient may be experiencing.

How do you care for an exhausted colleague?

It's crucial for patients not to feel accused or judged for not realizing what was happening to them. All judgments should be put aside, and we should dole out understanding, empathy, and affection. Offer hope: You will be yourself again. After this crisis, you will be much stronger than before. People in burnout think they'll never be effective again. It's crucial to convince them that's simply not true.

What does the cross mean for you as one who has walked through burnout and despair?

The cross was the ladder that brought me out of the pit of depression. It will be the ladder that leads me to God's presence with my time comes. The cross is the true beginning of life. Life doesn't start at 20 years of age or at 40. Life begins at Calvary, next to the cross where Christ gave himself for us.

Leadership