My family and I were looking forward to our upcoming vacation together. As we packed for the much-needed time away, one phone call threatened to ruin all our plans.

A crisis had developed that caused me to rethink the timing of the trip. I discussed it with my wife, Charlene, and we agreed this issue had the potential to become explosive. We decided to cancel our vacation.

Just as we were about to break the sad news to our 8-year-old son, I sensed a nudge from the Holy Spirit. I felt compelled to reach out to a trusted ministry friend who had always been a source of wisdom.

My friend challenged me with these words: “Trust God with the church. Don’t cancel your time of rest. It would disappoint your wife and break your son’s heart.”

Although he advised checking in with our church’s leaders while we were away, my friend encouraged me to go and enjoy the vacation. I followed this advice and never regretted it. The crisis dissipated, and our family made some wonderful memories on that trip.

The Spirit’s intervention reminded me it is the Lord’s Church, not ours. Our job is to trust Him in all things. So why is it so hard to step away, even for a short time?

Ministry can feel a bit like a basketball game. Running is the normal pace. When things slow down, tension remains high as everyone waits for the next play to develop. Even when you get a chance to sit down and catch your breath, you stay focused on the game, anticipating the moment when you return and do it all again.

Such a routine is exhausting. And unless we proactively practice spiritual disciplines, it is unsustainable.

Creating margin for rest and renewal is essential. More than that, it’s a biblical principle.

As church leaders, we know these things. Yet there often exists a chasm between what we know and what we do. As a result, many ministers are on the verge of burnout — or worse.

Author John Maxwell said, “Good habits are hard to form, hard to maintain, and easy to break. Bad habits are easy to form, easy to maintain, and hard to break.”

If we are not intentional, the bad habits of neglecting rest, self-care, and family time can and will affect us.

A Priority

Appointments, meetings, emails, and endless demands for pastoral care consume much of our time in ministry. Some weeks, it can be hard to squeeze in a few hours for sermon preparation, much less time to relax and unwind.

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, famously provided a visual illustration of the importance of establishing priorities. Covey took an empty container and challenged volunteers to fill it with water, sand, pebbles, stones, and large rocks. Those who put in the smaller items first found there was little room for anything else.

Covey demonstrated the solution, placing the big rocks first, followed by the stones, pebbles and sand. Finally, he added the water, which seeped through the sand and into the remaining small spaces.

As Covey explained, the large rocks symbolize those things that are most important. Time with God and family are large rocks. So are other essentials, including rest. We can then fill in the gaps with items that are less urgent.

There is a false and
dangerous notion in
ministry that the
pace of work indicates
the depth of our
spirituality.

Approaching time in this way ensures our schedules will reflect proper values, needs, and priorities.

A Discipline

There is a false and dangerous notion in ministry that the pace of work indicates the depth of our spirituality. I’ve heard pastors say things like, “I’ll rest when I die,” or, “I’d rather wear out for God than rust out for the devil.”

I have also encountered this one a few times: “The devil never takes a day off, so I won’t either.” My response is, “Maybe you need a better role model.”

Taking a break does not mean we are lazy or unspiritual. In fact, we need to embrace rest as a spiritual discipline.

God rested during the creation account and instituted a time of rest for His people (Genesis 2:2–3; Exodus 20:8–11). Jesus exemplified the importance of rest by honoring the Sabbath and practicing solitude and retreat (Luke 4:16; 5:16).

There are a number of ways to make rest a regular discipline. Consider starting with the following four:

1. Maintain daily devotions. Spend intimate time with the Lord through worship, Bible engagement, journaling, and prayer.

2. Observe a weekly sabbath. For most ministers, Sunday is not a day of rest. Set aside a day in the week as a sabbath. Dedicate this day to physical rest, emotional renewal, and relational reconnection.

3. Practice monthly disciplines. Each month, focus on engaging a specific spiritual discipline. Pray about it during your quiet times with God. Ask the Holy Spirit to form Christ’s character in you throughout the year.

4. Schedule vacations every six to 12 months. It can be difficult for pastors to take a vacation without feeling guilty. When we consider our workload, it can seem like getting away is the wrong thing to do.

However, we will be better equipped to minister effectively after taking some time to decompress and recharge. And if we’re intentional in our planning, we can schedule vacations during slower or less demanding times of the church year.

A Necessity

There may be seasons when creating margin seems impossible. For example, the congregation may be working through a prolonged crisis. Or you may be dealing with health issues, personal financial pressures, or family difficulties.

Yet even during such times — perhaps especially during such times — you need rest. Ignoring this necessity will only compound your problems.

Some ministry situations can make taking a week off difficult. For example, bivocational ministers, solo pastors, and leaders with little support may be hesitant to step away from the pulpit — ever.

This requires innovative thinking. Take steps to develop ministry partners who can help share the responsibilities of the pastorate. Create a long-term plan for equipping lay leaders. Form relationships with other ministers in the region. Ask network leaders or even itinerating missionaries to fill in for you while you’re away.

Ministry often attracts people who are willing to make sacrifices for the good of others. As admirable as this altruism may be, it can turn into an unhealthy pattern of work-life imbalance and self-neglect.

Don’t make the mistake of sacrificing your health, family, relationships, and ministry to a well-meaning but destructive commitment to nonstop activity.

Remember the words of the apostle Paul to his young protégé Timothy: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16).

This article appears in the Spring 2023 issue of Influence magazine.