Anatomy of a Volcanic Eruption

Volcanic eruptions are deceptively beautiful but potentially devastating pyrotechnic displays of nature. The science behind them is equally fascinating.

Volcanic eruption is a 4-step process:

1. Molten rock inside the earth, which is called magma, expands and becomes less dense, and so it starts rising toward the surface.
2. Gaseous substances such as water, carbon dioxide (which is the gas we breathe out), and sulfur dioxide (which is the gas that gives rotten eggs their odor), become depressurized and expand as the magma rises closer to the surface.
3. When enough gaseous substances leave the magma, the magma disintegrates to form partially molten and solid fragments called pyroclasts.
4. The pyroclasts act like corks in a heated bottle, building internal pressure quickly, so that the ground explodes. Magma is called lava when it exits the earth, flowing down hillsides or spewing high into the air, depending upon the strength of the volcano's internal pressure.

Anatomy of a Burnout

Below is a definition of burnout, from the founders of The Reignite Project, which helps people recover from burnout:

Burnout is the loss of meaning in one's work, coupled with mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion as the result of long-term, unresolved stress.

The well-known psychiatrist, Robert Cole, identified six progressive stages of burnout. The last three stages are more severe than the first three, suggesting a Yellow Alert Status and a Red Alert Status for burnout.

Below are some Yellow Alert early warning signs of burnout, which include Robert Cole’s first three stages. Following that are some Red Alert later warning signs of burnout, which include Cole’s last three stages.

Yellow Alert: Early Warning Signs of Burnout

Robert Cole’s first three stages of burnout are what I call Yellow Alert Status, when burnout might be on the way, but will not happen this week or this month.

Yellow Alert Status of Burnout:

1. Weariness

Weariness is constant tiredness over a long period of time.

2. Cynicism

When weariness lasts too long, cynicism can set it. This is a growing skepticism about people and situations, combined with a creeping suspicion that things will not get any better.

3. Bitterness

Cynicism can lead to bitterness, a growing anger toward people and situations, and even a belief that only I know the right way to think and act. Paradoxically, bitterness toward colleagues often grows stronger than against so-called enemies. For example, Robert Cole especially vehement bitterness in the 1960s among civil rights advocates working together for a common cause.

Red Alert: Signs That Burnout Is Imminent

Robert Cole’s last three stages of burnout are what I call Red Alert Status, when burnout is imminent.

Red Alert Status of Burnout:

1. Despair

People in despair feel like nothing they can do will make a difference. Dark clouds of futility bring sadness and increased anxiety.

2. Depression

Depression is an overall sense of hopelessness.

3. Burnout

Burnout brings paralysis, sadness, and exhaustion that won’t go away. Recovery from full-blown burnout usually takes years.

A Prophet and a Professor

In chapters 17-19 of the book of 1 Kings, the prophet Elijah experienced several years of intense ministry, including threats on his life. In chapter 19, during a climactic battle with the prophets of Baal, God gave Elijah a spectacular and miraculous victory. But when the king’s wife, Jezebel, vowed to kill Elijah, the prophet ran away and displayed all of the Yellow-Alert and Red-Alert signs of burnout:

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. 
When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

An angel of the Lord gave Elijah some food and water. Then God sent a great wind, earthquake, and fire. And finally, God spoke to Elijah in a whisper:

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

In the summer of 1991, I arrived bright-eyed and full of excitement at the Payroll Department to collect my very first paycheck as a full-fledged chemistry professor. From May through August, I worked 9-12 hours a day, less on weekends, preparing for the upcoming semester—my very first semester teaching organic chemistry and biochemistry at the college level. I reviewed textbooks and lab manuals and placed requisitions at the college bookstore. I wrote syllabi. I prepared lectures. I planned labs and ordered lab chemicals and supplies. I also found and joined a church, where I almost immediately began teaching Sunday school and serving in other ways. And I bought the cutest little beagle pup, so I was also house-training her!

Does that sound like a recipe for burnout, or what?

Can Burnout Always Be Prevented?

My burnout when I was a college professor was not as severe as the one that happened 20 years later when I was one of the pastors of a large church in Pittsburgh. (Click here to read that story in Part 1 of this blog series on burnout)

Both times, I might have tried to argue that burnout was unavoidable. I had to focus on many different projects—both small and large—and meet multiple simultaneous deadlines.

Since then, I’ve swung back and forth with my opinion of whether burnout can always be prevented.

When I was younger, I just wanted to get the job done and do it well, no matter what it took. People were depending upon me, and my ultimate goal was excellence, so I burned out a few times—not yet severely—because I thought I had to.

Later, approaching middle age, I flamed out as a pastor to the extent that I could not—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—keep doing what I was doing. So I resigned.

Through that experience, I became convinced that burnout was indeed always totally avoidable. Yes, sometimes life’s circumstances force us to work hard, sometimes for long periods of time. But my doctor, my counselor, and my Lord convinced me there were some ways I needed to change the way I lived before I experienced an even worse flame-out.

Now, almost 10 years after my big burnout, I’ve come full circle again. I believe again that sometimes burnout is unavoidable, but for different reasons than I thought before.

Hot Lava or Hotter Lava: Two Kinds of Burnout

Volcanic lava comes in two basic types: thick hot lava that flows slowly, and even hotter thinner lava that can flow very rapidly. The thinner, faster lava explodes from deep within the volcano. The thicker, slower lava comes from parts of the volcano that are closer to the surface.

Two kinds of burnout:

I believe there are two basic kinds of burnout, shown below.

1. Burnout that I primarily bring upon myself

In this kind of burnout, I don’t manage my life well. I don’t take care of myself physically, emotionally, or spiritually. So of course, unhealthy food, lack of sleep, minimal rest and recreation, curtailed social interaction, bad time management, and eventually declining connections with God, drain me to the point of burnout.

2. Burnout caused primarily by factors outside myself

In this kind of burnout, important, time-intensive circumstances take over my calendar, my attention, and my energy. Requirements are placed on me by circumstances, such as a job, a caregiving situation, etc. I can't seem to improve my time management or rearrange my priorities to avoid burnout.

I will admit that sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between Burnout Type #1 and Burnout Type #2. But there’s an even more important perspective, coming up next.

A Uniquely Christian Perspective of Burnout

Can burnout always be prevented? We now return to this question.

Our God loves us. He is for us. He wants the best for us. He even built Sabbath into His plan for our week.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30: “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.”

But now, here’s where I might differ from some Christians. I do believe in good self-care, but I also believe that God sometimes calls us to extraordinary sacrificial service that might cause something approaching burnout. Yes, we should learn to manage our lives well so that we don’t burn out unnecessarily. But I also believe that God sometimes calls His children to incredibly stressful service for His Kingdom—sometimes for years or decades at a time. 

Do you think Jeremiah wasn't burned out? He preached for 40 years in personally difficult ways for the Israelites to repent before they were destroyed—only to see that very thing happen. Jeremiah eventually gained world renown as “the weeping prophet”! 

The apostle Paul endured multiple assaults on his reputation and body before probably being beheaded for his faith. 

I’d have to do a lot of detailed research to find evidence that Jeremiah and Paul burned out, but I believe they did. Could their burnout have been avoided?

And what about Jesus? He endured years of opposition, misunderstanding, and betrayal before sacrificing His life for us at Calvary. Jesus never sinned, so He knew how to manage His life. But in the Gardne of Gethsemane, He was so stressed as to sweat drops of blood. I don't believe that was burnout, but it was probably close.

Many modern influential Christian leaders warn us against a theology of self-care above sacrifice, believing that we should of course do all we can to avoid personal burnout, because that impacts us as well as the Kingdom. But should we avoid burnout at all other cost? David Yongii Cho, pastor of the largest church in the world in South Korea, experienced burnout so severe that he had to cease his ministry for several years. He acknowleges that some of his burnout was his fault, he also believes that most highly influential Christian leaders must go through this kind of trial by fire.

I return to three Bible verses that I brought up in Part 1 of this blog series:

Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galations 6:9)

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. (Philippians 2:17)

How do we serve Christ sacrificially, while also taking steps to avoid burnout whenever we can?

The biblical and healthy place to land on this goes far beyond such practical considerations as managing time, maintaining physical health, and staying emotionally healthy. It even goes beyond daily prayer, Bible reading, and Christian service. That will be the focus of the last blog of this series!

Looking Ahead to the Next Blog

In the next blog, we will conclude this series about Christian burnout with a unique perspective on the topics below:

• Cool the magma: Address burnout before it erupts.
• Rise from the ashes: How to recover from burnout.
• Assess your Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): How close to burnout are you?
• Take cover: Your uniquely personal action plan for burnout.
• Celebrate joy from the ashes: Fulfillment and fruitfulness beyond burnout.
  
  

Action Steps

• What are your thoughts and feelings about the parallels between the warning signs of volcanic eruption and the warning signs of imminent burnout?
• How have you experienced Robert Cole’s 6 stages of burnout?
• How do you identify with the burnout stories of Jeremiah and me?
• What is your opinion about whether Christian burnout can—or even should—always be prevented?