BURNOUT! by Harvey Porter Albuquerque, NM Our society has coined the new phrase "burn out." It is used when people tire of their job or profession and quit just because they are bored with it. The pressures become too much, they feel that they cannot go on. The task has lost its challenge; too much of the same thing. It is conceivable that this could happen in a boring, tedious, hard job, but it should not happen in marriage, child-rearing, worship, and with our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us notice Paul's words to the Galatian Christians: "Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9NIV). Current thinking says that we should give up anything that "puts us in a bind," makes us unhappy, does not make us feel fulfilled, or anything that has lost its challenge or zest. While it is true that there are some things that we ought to give up on, there are some real values in life that should neve be walked away from. They are the responsibilities to our husbands, wives, children, parents, and God. The home is in trouble today. We all have heard some say, "I'm just tired of being married; I want to be free." It is true that it takes two to salvage a marriage, but we ought to be the one who wants to keep it going. Since "God hates divorce," we must do our best to make our marriage work. Two Christians with this desire can make any marriage work. We must not become "burned out" on our marriage. We need to give it constant attention by talking to each other, doing new and exciting things together, and reading and studying the Word of God together. If we need help, we must get it now, not when it is too late. Rearing children is the same. There will be hard times for all of us. This is true in any relationship, even those friends outside the family circle. Humans cannot live without offending one another or irritating and angering one another. The challenge is to work through difficult times, not "burn out" and walk away. The most remarkable of all is that we can "burn out" in our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and with our Heavenly Father. Can you imagine trying to give a logical explanation as to why you became weary of God? People do! Oh, they will not say so in so many words, but their actions tell the story. They never permit the Father to talk with them by reading and meditating upon His Word. They find talking tim him (prayer) a chore, a duty. Their heart is not in it. Worship is the same for them. It becomes form or rote. They can go through all the motions without ever meaning it. It is spiritual "burn out." Their soul is actually _weary_ of God and Jesus. What a state! It means disaster every way. Have we never learned that a garden needs attention. Love has to be fed. The friendship account has to have regular deposits. Marriage needs constant attention and tender loving care. And even though God and Jesus will never leave us, we can leave them. They will not take second place to our job, our money, even our spouse or children. We must love and serve them first and foremost and then everything else will find its proper place and life will be joyous and fulfilled. It is in this context that Paul's conclusion is meaningful, "for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."