Not Now | Lenten Reflection - 1

There is no such thing as spiritual burnout

It is not uncommon these days, to hear the phrase “spiritual burnout,” whispered from the lips of the faithful, those who are weary, listless, and tired in their commitment to God’s service. I’m seeing it everywhere. But let it be known, this is a farce, a ruse, a false comfort we have adopted. There is no such thing as being spiritually burntout for God is omnipotent and eternal, unlike the flesh that is weak and those who are truly consecrated to Christ must cast aside these delusions and surrender ourselves fully to Him, as He surrendered Himself to us on the Cross.

The world we live in far too often reduces religion to an aesthetic. It is dressed up, made comfortable, and decorated with an appealing veneer, but this is not the religion of Christ. We have turned faith into a marketable product, polished for consumption, but the truth of our devotion is far from the glittering surface we have created. Whether in the deserts of Egypt or in the quiet hills of the Caucasus—there is no place for spiritual exhaustion as we so often define it. The nuns and monks who dedicate their lives to Christ live in a perpetual rhythm of prayer, fasting, and sacrifice—not out of an obligation, but as a profound act of love. When they rise each day, they do so with their hearts fixed on Christ, regardless of their own personal feelings, desires, or weariness.

Their lives are hard—severe in many ways—but their energy is not spent on the vain pursuit of comfort or ease. Theirs is the most beautiful kind of devotion, for it is a devotion borne not of feeling but of purpose. We, too, are called to that same rigor, to that same unswerving commitment, especially during Lent. When we speak of spiritual burnout, we let our comforts and conveniences guide our faith, when it is clear that comfort is not the point of Lent. It is not the point of our spiritual lives. It is the win of the devil. The same one who wants your sugarcoated defeat, a consumer of his empty promises and glittering dirty temptations.

Lent is not the time to slack off or make excuses. Virtue is virtue when it is INCONVENIENT. It is not the time to step back because we ‘feel drained’ or ‘overwhelmed.’ If anything this is the season that demands we go all out for Christ. We can not give ourselves the luxury of withdrawal. We are not called to a halfway commitment. We are called to the full measure of sacrifice, just as Christ gave everything on the Cross.

This Lent, let us look to the example of those who live their lives in full devotion and who know no other path but the way of the Cross. If we wish to return to normalcy, let it be the normalcy of faith, of self-discipline, of relentless pursuit of God’s grace.

If we falter, we must remember: He who calls us is faithful, and He who is faithful will surely see us through. Let us endure. Let us sacrifice.

Let us go all out for Christ, for He gave His all for us.

Love,

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