Is your work-life balance out of sync? Do you struggle with burnout, workaholism, or feeling like your job defines you? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Ariana Malloy, communication professor at Biola University and author of Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work, to unpack the dangers of job idolatry, the power of Sabbath, and how humility helps us maintain a sustainable calling.

Key Topics Covered:
✅ How to recognize when your calling is becoming an idol
✅ The difference between a job, a career, and a calling—and why calling leads to the most burnout
✅ How Christian organizations unintentionally pressure employees into overwork
✅ Practical Sabbath rhythms to break the cycle of exhaustion
✅ The three aspects of humility that protect against burnout
✅ Why accountability should go beyond moral failure to include work-life balance

🎙 Ariana also shares her personal journey with workaholism and burnout—plus practical strategies for staying on the right side of healthy calling.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:
📖 Get Ariana Malloy’s Book – Healthy Calling (20% off with code for IVP- use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 👉 IVP Press

🔗 Learn more about Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit Useful to God—where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living.

Is your work-life balance out of sync? Do you struggle with burnout, workaholism, or feeling like your job defines you? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Ariana Malloy, communication professor at Biola University and author of Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work, to unpack the dangers of job idolatry, the power of Sabbath, and how humility helps us maintain a sustainable calling.
Key Topics Covered: ✅ How to recognize when your calling is becoming an idol ✅ The difference between a job, a career, and a calling&mdash;and why calling leads to the most burnout ✅ How Christian organizations unintentionally pressure employees into overwork ✅ Practical Sabbath rhythms to break the cycle of exhaustion ✅ The three aspects of humility that protect against burnout ✅ Why accountability should go beyond moral failure to include work-life balance
🎙 Ariana also shares her personal journey with workaholism and burnout&mdash;plus practical strategies for staying on the right side of healthy calling.
🔗 Resources Mentioned: 📖 Get Ariana Malloy&rsquo;s Book &ndash; Healthy Calling (20% off with code for IVP- use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 👉 <a href="https://www.ivpress.com/healthy-calling">IVP Press</a>
🔗 Learn more about Useful to God: <a href="https://www.usefultogod.com/">www.usefultogod.com</a>
📢 Stay Connected &amp; Keep Growing!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!
For more resources to help you grow in faith and deepen your walk with Christ, visit <a href="https://www.usefultogod.com/">Useful to God</a>&mdash;where you'll find books, courses, podcasts, and more to equip you for faithful Christian living.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.

Find more from James at https://usefultogod.com/.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at <a href="https://usefultogod.com/">https://usefultogod.com/</a>.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.

Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at <a href="https://usefultogod.com/">https://usefultogod.com/.</a>