Video Transcript

Brothers, I want to talk today about something we don’t like to admit: burnout.
That place where the tank is empty, the weight feels crushing, and you keep pushing—because men are supposed to push, right? But sometimes the most spiritual, the most courageous thing you can do is take a step back.

Not from your family. Not from your calling as a disciple.
But from all the other things that have crept in and stolen your strength.

Burnout We Don’t See Coming

Here’s the thing about burnout: most of us don’t even see it until we’re already deep into it. We’re grinding, chasing, overcommitted—telling ourselves “this is just a busy season.” But seasons turn into years. And suddenly we look around and realize we’re exhausted, angry, distant from God, and our family is running on scraps of our attention.

Burnout has a point of diminishing returns. The deeper we get, the harder we push. We think more effort will fix the problem—but the opposite happens. It’s like exercise. There’s a point where the more you work out, the less you actually gain. Your muscles don’t grow, your strength doesn’t increase. Instead, you start breaking down. You lose sleep, your appetite shifts, your body turns on itself.

Burnout works the same way. You’re giving more, but producing less. You’re pushing harder, but losing ground with your wife, your kids, and your walk with God.

You know how it goes: long hours at work, ministry commitments, coaching the team, fixing the house, serving everybody else… and somehow, the very people God entrusted to you—your wife, your children—end up with the leftovers.

And the truth is, that is not sustainable. That is not shepherding. That is a slow drift into burnout.

What the Bible Says

The Bible warns us about this. In Mark 8:36 (NIV), Jesus says, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

Now let’s be real—sometimes it’s not the whole world we’re chasing. It’s the promotion, the recognition, the full calendar that makes us feel useful. And in that chase, we can lose our soul.

We can also lose our family.
Lose the intimacy of marriage.
Lose the chance to disciple our kids in those short years they’re still at home.

The Shepherd’s Picture

Think of a shepherd. His job is to guard, feed, protect the flock. If the shepherd burns himself out chasing someone else’s flock, neglecting his own, what happens? Wolves come in. Sheep wander. Chaos follows.

That’s us when we’re not careful. We say “yes” to too much. We run on fumes. We start snapping at our kids. We withdraw from our wives. Our hearts grow tired toward God.

And here’s the hard truth: burnout is not just a health problem. It’s a discipleship problem. Because when you’re burned out, you cannot lead your family like Christ leads the church.

Learning to Step Back

So what do we do? Sometimes the best move is to step back. To say no to things that don’t align with your calling as an intentional shepherd.

Jesus Himself modeled this. Luke 5:16 (NIV) says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” He stepped back. He re-centered. He found strength again in His Father.

If Jesus, the Son of God, made it a priority to rest, retreat, and reset—why do we think we can grind endlessly and still shepherd well?

A Word to Fathers and Husbands

Your family doesn’t need a burned-out man who’s chasing everything else.
They need a father who listens.
They need a husband who invests.
They need a shepherd who points them to Jesus not just in words, but in how he lives, how he loves, and how he rests.

Sometimes the most spiritual decision you can make is to pull back from the noise so you can lean in to your family.

Challenge

Men, don’t let burnout steal your calling. Don’t let busyness rob your family. Step back. Reset. And lead again with strength, clarity, and purpose. That’s what it means to be an intentional shepherd.

Personal Testimony

And let me just be real with you—this is where I am right now. In the middle of August 2025, I am burned out. I’ve been carrying a full-time job, plus teaching ESL a couple of nights a week, putting these videos together, and even running another YouTube channel where I’m learning new ways to present. On top of that, I’m committed to my family. That is non-negotiable. I need hours every day with my wife and kids, even if it’s just sitting together. Without that, I feel empty.

But lately it feels like everything has piled on. In the church, there are spiritual tensions. I can sense the enemy trying to press in, in my family and in me. At home, the house itself has been a stress. Just recently our well water system broke—men digging trenches, money bleeding out, bills stacking up. That one thing alone was hard, but combined with everything else, it broke me down.

So I’m telling you what I’m doing: I’m taking a break. For now, I’m stepping back from Sunday devotionals and from what I had planned for Wednesday discipleship. Maybe just for a couple weeks, maybe until mid-September. I’ll still try to check in, maybe share updates, but right now my priority is rest, family, and God.

And as I step back, I’m just asking you—stay in prayer for me. Pray for my family. And keep walking strong as men of the Shepherd. Stick around. This is still the early days of this channel and this community, and I believe God will use it.

God bless you.

Reflection Questions

1. Where in your life do you feel the weight of burnout right now?

2. What commitments or activities might you need to step back from so you can be more present with your wife and kids?

3. How can you follow Jesus’ example of withdrawing for prayer and rest this week?

4. If you’re honest, where are you on the road toward burnout—fresh, tired, or already deep in it?

5. Who in your life can hold you accountable to not drift back into burnout?