Burn Out or Rust Out? How About Neither?

You can't take every bit of advice.

“Burning the candle at both ends for God’s sake may be foolishness to the world, but

it is a profitable Christian exercise for so much better the light! Only one thing in life matters: Being found worthy of the Light of the World in the hour of His visitation. We need have no undue fear for our health if we work hard for the Kingdom of God; God will take care of our health if we take care of His cause. In any case, it is better to burn out than to rust out.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Just because someone gives us advice doesn’t mean that we have to take it. I began my call to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church in 2009. The moment I made that news public and submitted myself to the discernment of the larger Church was also the moment I started to receive lots of advice. Some of it was helpful as people shared their own experiences of the challenges and blessings that came with the journey of asking how God was calling them to serve. Others shared advice that wasn’t at all helpful, trying to tell me what I should do or what God was calling me to do without spending time with me in prayer and conversation. As I continue to engage in the process of discerning how God is calling me to serve I take to heart all of those interactions. Just as we should practice good discernment on the information we consume from the news and social media, we should also practice good discernment on the advice we take.

Just as we should practice good discernment on the information we consume from the news and social media, we should also practice good discernment on the advice we take.

One of my favorite authors and media personalities is Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. Having grown up in the Roman Catholic Church I came to read many of his books, listen to his radio shows, and of course watch him online. Needless to say that I haven’t always agreed with everything he teaches (I do have a persistent Protestant streak after all!). But I always found him to be a man of deep prayer and personal discernment. When I came across this quote from him the other day I knew that I had to write about it. 

It’s important to note a few things about Bishop Sheen. He was a man who lived and worked in a particular period of the life of the Roman Catholic Church. His education and formation were rooted in a deep sense of duty and servanthood that would prepare him to become a priest whose whole life was seen as an offering to God through the service of the Church. It helped that his vow of celibacy permitted him to forsake the ministry one might have to a spouse or family. Congregations came to expect that their clergy would give their whole life to the service of the Church and her people. 

While Bishop Sheen may have been speaking to his fellow Roman clergy in the 20th century and advising them on the merits of giving all their life to the ministry, I have seen his words resonate with clergy and congregations within the Episcopal Church. There are congregations who expect their priest to be available to them 24 hours a day 7 days a week. And it isn’t just about hospital calls and pastoral emergencies. In the age where owning a smartphone means always being accessible, clergy may be constantly inundated with phone calls, emails, and text messages. These moments of contact can range from questions about the upcoming vestry meeting to where the toner is for the copier. The point is that for many clergy there is no end to their day and there is no sabbath to their week. 

I admit that I’m just as guilty of imposing this standard on myself. I love the work I do and find it hard to put it down. Growing a parish or other ministry can mean putting in the long hours, setting the example of dedication, and “going the extra mile”. The last thing a member of the clergy wants is the label “lazy”. But this attitude and this level of work isn’t sustainable over the course of a lifetime. And it’s here where I fundamentally clash with Bishop Sheen. He points to two extremes, burning out or rusting out. Even if it hasn’t always practiced it the Church has learned a great deal about the merit of life-work balance, about allowing other clergy and lay leaders to help carry the load and most important of all that God does not call anyone to burn themselves out. Bishop Sheen exhortation for greater illumination doesn’t have to mean that we shine alone. I have found that the brightest illumination is a collection of lights burning brightly as one. 

Bishop Sheen exhortation for greater illumination doesn’t have to mean that we shine alone. I have found that the brightest illumination is a collection of lights burning brightly as one.

I do believe that God will take care of our health if we remain faithful to our work in the kingdom but we must never forget that God has called us to be stewards of our health; mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. This advent season is a reminder that our patterns of work and rest will be tested and that the best way to achieve a balance between our work and life is to learn what that balance means for us. I still listen to the advice of fellow clergy and lay leaders. I am grateful for the gift of their experiences. But I also remember that discernment is a process of discovery and that it is through the grace of God we come to know God’s will for us, a will that seeks to equip us to live full balanced lives as we shine brightly and call others to shine alongside us. But don’t just take my advice.