Devotions for Teachers: When You're Burnt Out

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11: 28-30

Rest is so hard to come by these days, especially for teachers. People in all sorts of lines of work have felt the strain of this pandemic, but most professions have a hard stop time. And it’s not a competition or anything, but it is so hard to find a stopping point with teaching. And for that reason, I believe teachers have been hit the hardest. With sub shortages and budget cuts, teachers are stretched even thinner than they were before (which is difficult to even write, because teaching wasn’t exactly a walk in the park in 2019.)

This is what I’m not going to say to you today: that Jesus makes life easy. I don’t actually believe that that’s true. There isn’t a line in the Bible that promises a life without work or hardship. So, for me to tell you to simply rest in Jesus, and everything will be fine wouldn’t only be unhelpful…it wouldn’t be Biblical.

Here’s what Jesus does promise: strength to carry on, if you are doing the right kind of work. When he says “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened…”, he also says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…”

What is a yoke? It’s a wooden collar placed on an animal so the owner can control it while doing work. Jesus isn’t saying: ‘come to me, and I will give you a break from working.” Instead, He is saying: ‘Come to me, and I’ll replace that yoke of the world that feels heavy and unbearable with my yoke. And instead of letting your day job guide and control your emotions and actions…I’ll do it instead. And life will be better’.

When you’re spiritually where God wants you to be, you’re still working, but the work doesn’t weigh you down the same way. I think I’m still wrapping my head around this idea. It doesn’t really sound comforting at first to be told that a life with Jesus will still be hard. ‘Come to me all who are weary’ sounds like I’m going to be wrapped in a hug and given permission to take a long nap. And maybe that’s what we all need (and that’s ok).

But when the nap is over, there is work to be done. Students to teach. Parents to have conferences with. School board meetings. Political tension. It’s all still there, waiting for us. And none of it is easy. With the weight of the world on our shoulders, it feels impossible to keep going…because it is. You can’t possibly face those problems alone, year after year. It will most definitely break you (if not physically and emotionally, it will break you spiritually.)

Instead, if you place the yoke of Jesus on your shoulders, and you do your work with the intention of advancing his Kingdom, it will feel easy and light. You will find joy in the daily grind.

So, what does this look like? How do we find joy when we are so utterly exhausted?

First, you pray. Pray for your students, your coworkers, your community. Pray for yourself. Ask for guidance. It’s hard to hear the answers at first, but they do come if you stick with it. You will start to feel a quiet calm in your spirit about different ideas, and a strong sense of distress about others. God will guide you.

Second, you start replacing the language in your head with words of affirmation. This goes for yourself, as well as everyone you encounter. You, your students, your admin, your team…are all Children of God. You are all uniquely gifted, fearfully and wonderfully made…and you should be treated as such. You are on a mission in your school building, and it is to do the work that Jesus would do if He were here. He would love on every person around Him so hard that they would be transformed. Sometimes love means speaking a hard truth. Sometimes love means being gentle. Jesus did both, and so should we.

But the way we train ourselves to do that is by first changing our thoughts. Change the language in your head. That child is not just a behavior problem, he is a Child of God and he can be transformed through God’s love. And you are the perfect person to demonstrate what that looks like without even having to speak a word about church or Jesus or any of it. Think the way Jesus would think, and the actions will come.

Is that easier said than done? Yes, but it’s what Jesus promised. Following Him will be work. There is a yoke. But striving to make a child feel loved in a world that aims to only tear him down is much more fulfilling work than getting caught up in the drama, stress, politics, and more.

Set your sights on the job Jesus called you to do, not the one the world burdens you with. Write the lesson plans, teach the small groups, write the emails…but do it through the lens of advancing God’s kingdom by filling His world with people who met you and were transformed by His Grace. That’s the real job. And it’s one worth doing.