The physical effects of exhaustion and burnout are well-known. You’ve probably felt them at some point in your ministry: increased stress, irritability, a weakened immune system, and poor concentration. But as a ministry leader, you can’t ignore how exhaustion also affects your spiritual life.
When you are overworked and weary, it is hard to find time for your own spiritual development. The pressures and demands on your mind and body as a ministry leader can leave little room in your schedule to invest in yourself. This is especially true for newer pastors.
The time between Pentecost and Advent – “Ordinary Time” in the Christian Year – is the perfect season to invest in your own spiritual health and rest. This requires not just one day a week, a few hours of self-care, or a power nap. Prioritizing rest is a call to uncover the ways that your body, mind, and spirit can be deeply restored, refreshed, and rested, because it is your divine right to do so. In fact, it’s what you were created to do.
God rested. Jesus slept. In winter, the earth rests and animals hibernate. It’s no mistake that your body is designed to require rest and only thrives when well-rested. In her book, “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto,” author Tricia Hersey writes, “we must believe we are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn it. It is our birthright. It is one of our most ancient and primal needs.”
It’s said that you can’t pour from an empty cup, but what if the point of refilling your cup isn’t just to pour it out again, but to simply be full?
As a ministry leader, your time is not always your own. So it is imperative that you build time into your schedule for things that will restore you, without the goal of simply becoming more productive.
This time will look different for everyone. You may want to get out in nature, read a book, express yourself through art or movement, meditate, meet up with a friend or mentor, or simply close your eyes and sleep.
Your body is in need of sabbath, and it’s what God wants for you, too. Take time to rest without the expectation of storing up energy to then just give it away. You are worthy of care and respite.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (The Message)
Jesus said, “Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
You can build a new rhythm. You can create space for rest. You can take back control from the machine society has built that demands productivity over everything else. But it requires you to arrange your time and energy with intention. Designing a Rhythmic Week for Senior Leaders is a free tool that can help you do just that. It provides a framework for building time into your week for yourself, without neglecting the needs of your ministry.
Vocational ministry is a marathon. Just like you would need to prepare your body, mind, and spirit to run 26.2 miles, you must prepare for the long haul of your calling in ministry. As you prepare for the journey, reflect on the questions below:
Sabbath doesn’t just happen. Taking time to rest is counter-cultural and may feel, at first, like you are doing something selfish, or lazy. But as you make it a regular practice, you’ll experience and model the kind of rhythm that God wants for you and the people around you. Your example of rest gives permission for those you lead to rest, inviting them to experience God in new and restorative ways.
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