How to Reverse Spiritual Burnout ~ Part One describes how the unrelenting demands of busy days crowded out my awareness of God’s presence. My drive to please meant I allowed others to dictate my schedule, leaving my body exhausted and my soul empty. Soon, my spiritual life mirrored the wine supply at a first-century wedding in Cana (summarized in Part One). Both were dry and depleted. But Jesus took the impending hospitality disaster and turned water intended for ceremonial washing into wine (John 2:1-11). I yearned for that kind of turnaround. How could I tap into his miraculous power and allow him to refill my heart with his life-giving joy? How can you?

What Was Jesus’ Message?

With his compassionate miracle, Jesus accomplished at least three goals. First, he removed the bridal couple’s potential shame and restored their honor. Second, he disclosed his identity as the source of purification. Then, he later used wine to represent his blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:27-28). Third, he defined God’s kingdom not as a place of spiritual dryness but as a place of joy and abundance.

What Was John’s Point?

John refers to Jesus’ miracles as signs, pointing to the significance rather than the supernatural results of the Savior’s’ actions. Through his selected stories, the Gospel writer prepares his readers to see Jesus as the Messiah. From no wine to 180 gallons of the best wine, John contrasts the inferiority and emptiness of Judaism’s old covenant with the superiority and abundance of Jesus’ new covenant. The transformation of water to wine leads to the inevitable conclusion that God was at work in and through Jesus.

Danger Signs of Dryness

Spiritual burnout becomes a real possibility when we allow our busyness, even our busyness for God, to replace time spent developing our relationship with him. You may recognize the warning signs in your heart or perhaps already feel a hole in your soul. What now?

How to Reverse Spiritual Burnout

I realized my burned-out condition was God’s invitation to:

• Take stock. When Mary discovered only empty wine jars remained, she took action to prevent a shame-causing catastrophe. My desperate thirst drove me to stop and re-evaluate my schedule and priorities. To continue my breakneck pace through life and ignore the joy-sapping dryness in my soul would lead to more significant problems.
• Turn to Jesus. Mary recognized her inability to solve the wine issue, so she sought the son she knew was God’s Messiah. Likewise, I couldn’t reignite my flame of faith by myself but needed to surrender control to the only One who could solve my problem. I placed my needs before my Savior and trusted him to meet them according to his wisdom and power. When I submitted my schedule to him, he showed me which activities to remove or rearrange.
• Trust and obey. Despite fearing the consequences, the servants obeyed Jesus’ command to take water from the freshly filled jars to the banquet host. Their compliance enabled Jesus to reveal his glory. When they did what they could, he did what they couldn’t. Only God can bring renewal, but faithful obedience opens the door for him to work. Revival was impossible until I made knowing God my priority. And the only hour I could find to focus on him was before anyone else awakened—a sacrifice, to be sure, but one with immeasurable benefits. As I made space for him in my crowded schedule, he reawakened my awareness of his presence, not all at once but in his time.

The new wine Jesus gives symbolizes new life, a new beginning. He offers the cup to you. How will you respond?

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