Slow Down Before You Burn Out
In recent months we've been tracking so many things.
The rise of coronavirus cases
Our church attendance
Our church financials
How many volunteers have dropped off
What’s open and what isn't
What we can do and what we can't
But there's one thing we haven't been tracking. This one thing is more important than anything else, and if we don't start keeping track now, it may be too late.
What is it? Your personal pace.
We’ve been working on solutions for our online service. Solutions for our small groups. Solutions for modified worship gatherings. We used to alternate between walking and running. Not anymore. We've been sprinting for months.
Who Do You Lead First?
We're church leaders. We lead others. But none of us can escape one simple fact, you have to leave yourself before leading anyone else. Sure, you may be able to last for a little while - pouring out while you're running on empty - but you can't last forever. Your shoes will wear out, and you'll collapse in exhaustion.
Before you do anything else, before you look at your to-do list, email, or schedule, start tracking your pace.
1. What Does Your Daily Quiet Time Look Like?
How is your personal spiritual walk? Be honest. Even among church leaders, this can be the first thing to go when the pace picks up.
We think we're special. The superhuman Christians. Able to walk through the daily rigors of life without first submitting to the Lordship of our Savior. We feel we can muster the wisdom to make difficult decisions without first coming to the source of all wisdom and knowledge.
If you've been running so fast that you can't find a few quiet moments in the Word of God, you're running toward burn out.
Don't feel ashamed. God's grace is sufficient. His mercy is new every day, and that includes tomorrow. If your daily quiet time has taken a hit, get up, dust off, and start again.
2. What Does Your Weekly Sabbath Look Like?
The Creator knows you. He knows the number of days in your life and cells in your body. And He knows that you need rest, even if you don't know it yourself.
One of the reasons God commanded us to "remember the sabbath and keep it holy" is because we need physical rest. By resting, we're demonstrating God's sovereignty over our life and trust that He will multiply our time in the other days of the week.
It's time to trust the command of God over your tyrannical calendar. His call to regularly rest is a gift of grace. He knows you don't have the awareness to do it on your own.
3. When Is Your Next Vacation?
Can I make a confession? I'm terrible at scheduling vacation time. I'm great at scheduling appointments, projects, and volunteers but vacation? I'll get to it when I get to it.
This can have its root more in pride than in service. Pride that you're so strong you don't need time to recharge, and pride that you're so essential, your church couldn't function without you.
Do you have a family? They may desperately need some extended time with you. You may be growing apart more quickly than you realize. Pull out your calendar and set a date.
More To Come
We all have this feeling that come January 1, 2021, when this wild year is over, things will be different. Things will be better. I can't say if things will be better, but I'm certain that your church will still need to be led, new problems will arise, new projects will need to be completed, and your family will still need to be cared for.
If you want to be a strong leader, you have to lead yourself first. Before you check the news, your email, or even the weather, stop - and check your personal pace.