1.16.2011 – I’m re-posting this gem in light of today’s talk on Sabbath and the dangerous potential for burnout when we ignore the concept; I am of the mind that you can’t change behavior w/o changing worldview first, and workaholism is something so entrenched and rooted, even in our (flawed) views of spirituality. Here they are:
3.4.2010 – I found this post via a RT and it’s stuck in my head for the past day or so. That’s when I know I’ve read something important. I mean REALLY important. If you’re (spiritually) burned-out, take some time to read this – THE TOP TEN SYMPTOMS OF EMOTIONALLY UNHEALTHY SPIRITUALITY – it’s that good… and maybe it will save your life. All those 10 “symptoms” I’ve known intimately; no wonder I was a depression-laden wreck over a decade ago when experiencing those; spiritual-superman may be a title we covet, but it’s a prescription for self-martyrdom if you ask me, and there’s nothing great about that. I like the adage: “I prefer to burn like coal – long and deep, as opposed to petrol – which flares up in a flash and disappears quickly.” So here for your edification are those 10 symptoms listed briefly (and pls do read the above link as well!):
1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness, and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present
5. Dividing our lives into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging other people’s spiritual journey
so what do u think? ;)
WAYNEPARK.COM 
amen amen
I read the 10 page excerpt. Thanks for recommending this helpful material.
Since you spoke yesterday I’ve been thinking a lot about what the Bible teaches about humility. I think there’s a lot of obvious and practical teaching and examples for us mere mortals.
Peace and joy,
SAM
Thanx Sam. I just stumbled onto this in my reading of Luther today:
He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death” (Phil. ii. 5–8). This most wholesome saying of the Apostle has been darkened to us by men who, totally misunderstanding the expressions “form of God,” “form of a servant,” “fashion,” “likeness of men,” have transferred them to the natures of Godhead and manhood. Paul’s meaning is this: Christ, when He was full of the form of God and abounded in all good things, so that He had no need of works or sufferings to be just and saved—for all these things He had from the very beginning—yet was not puffed up with these things, and did not raise Himself above us and arrogate to Himself power over us, though He might lawfully have done so, but, on the contrary, so acted in labouring, working, suffering, and dying, as to be like the rest of men, and no otherwise than a man in fashion and in conduct, as if He were in want of all things and had nothing of the form of God; and yet all this He did for our sakes, that He might serve us, and that all the works He should do under that form of a servant might become ours.
It would be really interesting to develop these positively. What are the right things to die to, how do we go about integrating past and present, how do we deal with conflict, etc.
@rob
Ah yes! The title of Pete Scazzero’s book is “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” I believe, so as to take a positive spin on these issues. I think I’m going to read it after I’m done being damaged unhealthily @ regent. No just kidding.
“Top 10 Symtoms” is a MUST read! Probably the most real and in-your-face article that I’ve read in long time.