{"id":81031,"date":"2024-06-21T14:42:46","date_gmt":"2024-06-21T20:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/?p=81031"},"modified":"2024-06-21T14:42:46","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T20:42:46","slug":"3-spiritual-habits-for-tired-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/3-spiritual-habits-for-tired-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Spiritual Habits for Tired Leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"

3 Spiritual Habits for Tired Leaders<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Pursue Joy and Presence in Your Ministry<\/h3>\n

As a ministry leader juggling crushing schedules and overflowing inboxes, carving out time and space for spiritual nourishment can feel burdensome. Thankfully, we can look to church history for resources to refresh the soul. Throughout the centuries, Christians have woven intricate tapestries of renewal, each thread a path designed to draw God\u2019s people closer to him and to each other.<\/p>\n

In the following, we examine a few of these tapestries, illuminating strands that have dimmed with age or lack of use. In doing so, we find permission stitched into every image\u2014 permission to consider these practices, to honor our own longing for sustenance, and to find, or even create, the quiet moments where our souls can drink from the well of God\u2019s goodness.<\/p>\n

1. S O L I T U D E<\/strong><\/p>\n

After [Jesus] had dismissed [the crowds], he went up on a<\/em> mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.\u00a0 <\/em>MATTHEW 14:23<\/p>\n

How do you feel about being alone? Really alone? No headphones, no phone, just you and your thoughts in the silence.<\/p>\n

Many feel anxious with the idea of being alone with silence. Nearly every moment of the day, our lives are narrated by noise. Whether or not we\u2019re conscious of it, we\u2019re accustomed to it. And this is what makes solitude so vital.<\/p>\n

Solitude plays a powerful role in viewing one\u2019s identity in light of who God is. It removes the evaluations you may experience with others as a leader and welcomes you into a place where only God can meet you. In solitude, you are invited to remember that while leading is an important thread, it\u2019s not the whole picture.<\/p>\n

Preparing sermons, counseling congregants, and leading meetings can\u2014and should\u2014 be done in service to God. Yet, alone, those e\ufb00orts can leave many leaders feeling spiritually parched. Solitude o\ufb00ers a sanctuary, a space to ask the soul-searching question: Who am I? <\/em>And in the quiet, to hear God\u2019s reassuring whisper: \u201cMine.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to solitude or revisiting it, consider easing in with a three-minute visit. Find a quiet corner, set an alarm as a reminder so you won\u2019t compulsively check the time, and then silence your phone. If needed, sip some water and take a few deep breaths to help ease the transition from doer to receiver. This time isn\u2019t about mastering meditation poses or memorizing Scripture. It\u2019s about loosening your grip on the reins and letting Jesus hold them for a while. Embrace the posture that best allows you to receive God\u2019s presence, be it sitting with open palms, gently rocking, or taking a quiet stroll. Fix your gaze on a single verse, a heartfelt prayer, or a virtue that resonates with your soul. Don\u2019t overthink it; just let it be whatever feels important in that moment.<\/p>\n

Three minutes, a few times a week might seem insigni\ufb01cant, but those small stitches of solitude can create a beautiful and deep awareness of God. As Richard Foster writes, \u201cIn solitude, we are so bathed in God\u2019s greatness and goodness that we come to see the immense value of our own soul.\u201d Slowly, the frantic strivings begin to lose their grip, replaced by a newfound peace and freedom in God\u2019s presence.<\/p>\n

2. WO R S H I P<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.\u00a0 <\/em>ISAIAH 25:1<\/p>\n

Worship isn\u2019t about Sunday mornings with dimmed lights and raised hands. Rather, as Dallas Willard explains, it involves engaging with, dwelling upon, and expressing the greatness, beauty, and goodness of God. For some leaders, this might feel like a daunting task, a shift from leading to simply receiving. But, thankfully, worship is constant.<\/p>\n

When including worship in daily life, we should not limit it to praise and worship music or recitations of the psalms. According to Willard, the heart of worship lies in sharpening your focus on God\u2019s goodness. It\u2019s about a daily audit of your thoughts, asking, \u201cWhat truly sparks joy, brings beauty, or \ufb01lls me with awe?\u201d<\/p>\n

Work hard to embrace the everyday, the ordinary, and the joyful, for in these moments lies the essence of true worship.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorship<\/em> will become the constant undertone of our lives. It is the single most powerful force in completing and sustaining restoration of our whole beings to God. Nothing can inform, guide, and sustain pervasive and radiant goodness in a person other than the true vision of God and the worship that spontaneously arises from it. Then the power of the indwelling Christ \ufb02ows from us to others.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>DALLAS\u00a0 WILLARD\u00a0 In The<\/em> Great Omission<\/em><\/p>\n

3 . FE L L OWS H I P<\/strong><\/p>\n

For where two or three gather in my name, there<\/em> am<\/em> I<\/em> with<\/em> them.\u00a0 <\/em>MATTHEW 18:20<\/p>\n

All friendships require work, and those nurtured within a congregation carry extra layers of consideration. Some caution against them, while others see these relationships as the cornerstone of community. Most, however, agree friendships for ministry leaders are complicated\u2014and essential.<\/p>\n

A staggering 65 percent of church leaders report loneliness according to a 2023 Barna survey. That\u2019s a sobering statistic, but it doesn\u2019t have to be your reality. Here are some key reminders for navigating the murky waters of pastoral friendships.<\/p>\n

A. YOU DESERVE DEEP, MUTUAL BONDS.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ministry requires sacri\ufb01ce, but being truly known and loved shouldn\u2019t be one of them. Your whole self\u2014desires, joys, frustrations, memories\u2014deserves genuine connection.<\/p>\n

B. YOU HAVE MORE TO OFFER THAN GUIDANCE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While ministry leaders are often sought out for support, that\u2019s not your sole contribution. Remember\u2014 your presence, your laughter, your stories\u2014these are gifts to your community, not burdens.<\/p>\n

C. INVESTING IN FRIENDSHIPS IS MINISTRY.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many ministry leaders leave ministry due to isolation. Cultivating friendships isn\u2019t selfish; it\u2019s an act of care for you and your \ufb02ock. Everyone deserves deep, reciprocal relationships, and leaders are no exception.<\/p>\n

D. RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS OF ISOLATION.<\/strong><\/p>\n