Spiritual Rest for Ministry Leaders: Why You Need a Reset

By: Tim Pollard

We’ve all rolled into the new year thinking: This is going to be the year! We see the new year as a new beginning. Many take the opportunity to make resolutions that will better themselves heading into the new year but end up frustrated when the best-laid plans don’t pan out. The new year can be the perfect opportunity to seek spiritual rest for ministry leaders.

A spiritual rest is a time of focused reflection about your daily habits as they relate to the Lord. Here are a few things to consider as you plan your spiritual rest.

Recognize your need for spiritual rest for ministry leaders. Are you run down and frustrated in your ministry? Are you just going through the motions each week and just getting by? Do you ever feel tired just thinking about your daily tasks? If you answered yes to any of those questions, it might be time for a spiritual reset. Recognizing the need for a reset is step number one.

Be intentional about your reset. As you consider the questions asked previously, take out a journal and start writing some of those frustrations and pain points down. Spend some time in prayer over each of the things you’ve written and seek God who gives you rest. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” Trusting in God’s leadership provides comfort and rest. Trust God to give you rest as you do the work He has called you to do.

Develop a consistent habit of seeking God. As ministry practitioners, we sometimes find it difficult to prioritize our own spiritual health as much as we do the spiritual health of those we minister to. I argue that your spiritual health might be more important. If you’ve fallen out of a habit of daily time in the word, pick that back up. Set aside scheduled time each day to study God’s Word. You don’t have to spend 2 hours—just be intentional and start small. Reading one chapter of Scripture and focusing on the words will give you a great start to resetting that special time with the Lord. Making spiritual rest for ministry leaders a regular practice protects both your walk with God and your effectiveness in ministry.

Think about this spiritual reset as a gift from God. As Isaiah said, trusting in God will renew your strength. Thank God for the opportunities He gives you to lead a ministry. Ask God to renew your heart and give you the strength He promises. God is faithful to His Word and will renew your spirit. Embracing spiritual rest for ministry leaders isn’t a luxury—it’s essential for sustainable, fruitful leadership.

Tim Pollard is the Publishing Team Leader for Explore the Bible Kids. His passion for teaching led him to earn his Master’s of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Christian Education with a specialization in Children’s Ministry. Even after 25 years with Lifeway, Tim is still ecstatic about getting to lead a team who helps kids explore God’s Word and know Him in a real way. Tim golfs every chance he gets and enjoys a great cup of coffee—straight black, none of that froufrou stuff. He lives in Mount Juliet, Tennessee with his wife, two children, and two grumpy chihuahuas.