Running on Empty

As a pastor and youth leader who has been in professional ministry for nearly 20 years, I have found myself running on empty a time or two to. The energy and excitement of the fall is gone, seniors are already starting to head towards the door and you are desperately trying to make the final plans for your summer mission trip, before it all starts over again. Here are a few suggestions that I would lift up to help you if you are feeling like you have nothing more to give.

Take an Hour-Sometimes you just need some space to clear your head for an hour or so. Go for a walk… Journal… Be silent… Exercise. Look at your calendar right now and make an appointment with yourself!

Take a Personal Day-Not everybody has the luxury of being able to sneak away for an entire day… But if you do… DO IT! An entire day of rest, relaxation, reading, reflection and rejoicing might just be what the good doctor ordered. Too often I find pastors not setting proper boundaries for themselves. The truth is, that there is always one more person to help, one more phone call to make, one more email to respond to. However, you are no good to anyone if you are not first good to yourself.

Get some sleep-When you’re robbing yourself of sleep at night, you’re robbing yourself of energy for the next day! Put down the iPad, step away from the refrigerator, and find a pillow with your name on it. If your computer has a sleep mode, you should too.

Clear the Calendar-In some of the most extreme cases, the wisest thing you can do is slow everything down. Trim the calendar. Slash the calendar. Talk to your supervisor about changing office hours and expectations. Cancel that thing that has you stuck.

Even Jesus had to take time away (shouldn’t we follow his example?)