Today I read an article of a pastor’s experience of burnout and the impact it brought to him and the ministry. It resonated with me specifically, being a missionary who also hit burnout through ministry. He had written about the heaviness of burnout and the depression and sorrow he experienced.

One part that struck me was the ‘strange feeling’ of happiness he noticed that arose one morning; as if happy had not been part of life for awhile.

I would say ‘happy’ and I have been friends most of my life even through many life difficulties. Yet during burnout, happy and joy disappeared.

When I went home from the mission field, my pastor told me to at least try and go for a walk each day. That was the best advice for that season.

My days began with a walk every morning. Many days I felt like I was just dragging my feet, wondering why I am tired and burnt out.

Until one day I had this ‘strange sense of delight’ come to me when I saw a blue butterfly. As soon as I was delighted, the thought came to me ‘am I now embracing this moment?’ It was refreshing to notice that I was embracing a moment and delighting in the smallest butterfly.

It may not seem that exciting, but when one has been dragging their feet around feeling the heavy bricks of burnout on their shoulders, embracing one moment brings hope.