Ministry is hard.
But you already knew that!
When this blog post becomes active, I will be on vacation with my family. What a blessing it is to have this time away!
In a society that values busyness and productivity, it is important for us as Christians to remember that our faith calls us to care for ourselves – body, mind, and soul. Rest is biblical. Spending time alone with the Lord is biblical. Setting boundaries is biblical.
And these biblical truths are not just for when we are on vacation! We are encouraged to nurture our personal faith in every season of life. As church leaders, it is important for us to model Christ’s example of taking time away from the pressures of ministry and spending time with God in prayer, study, and reflection. When I was struggling with this a few years ago, my Spiritual Director challenged me with this question – how can you care for your Congregation if you can’t care for yourself?
This was a difficult question to answer because I knew that she was right.
We all need to be reminded to make time to be with the Lord – not for sermon prep or Bible study, but to nurture our own souls. We all need to set boundaries that protect our personal faith and our time with family and friends.
While I am no expert in this field, I encourage you to find ways to model Christ in your own life. There are many ways to do this that don’t take a lot of time or cost any money. And since we are all unique, you have to find what works for you. For example, I am not a morning person, so please don’t tell me to get up early to pray – it’s not going to happen!
As a fellow traveller and seeker, I simply encourage you to strengthen your walk with the Lord.
Blessings, Rev. Emma
General Presbyter