The past few years have been intense. I’ve led through the loss of my dad and stepdad, my mom suffering a traumatic brain injury, and the challenges of a global pandemic. On top of that, I’ve spent the last seven years helping rebuild a church that experienced a painful split. My soul was weary, and I was exhausted. Thankfully, our elders approved a ten-week sabbatical, providing the rest I desperately needed.
About a week into my sabbatical, a friend texted me, asking how I was doing. I replied, “I’m more tired than I realized.”In those first days, I took more naps, slept in, and yawned more than I ever imagined. My exhaustion ran deeper than I had known or acknowledged.
I wonder if you might feel the same. Maybe a key staff member recently left your team. Perhaps you’ve navigated the tensions of the latest election cycle or carried the weight of your congregation’s struggles. You go home physically, spiritually, and emotionally drained. Like me, you might be more tired than you realize.
Sabbatical forced me to slow down completely. It felt like pulling over on a long road trip, engaging the emergency brake, and shutting off the engine. I’m not naturally good at rest, but three weeks of stopping entirely brought renewal. For the first time in a long while, I started dreaming again—about ministry, discipleship, and reaching our community.
But God wasn’t done. In the weeks that followed, He did some of His deepest work in my soul. As I spent time alone with Him, He revealed my struggle with control. He reminded me to trust Him fully to care for His church. I realized God cares more about me as a person than about my role as a pastor. He shepherded my soul in ways I hadn’t let Him before.
You might not have ten weeks to take off, but you can still rest. Start with a Sabbath day and allow God to speak to you in your deepest need.
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