I just came off a fantastic week of youth missions. I got to lead 14 High School students on a week working outdoors in the North Carolina summer heat with Habitat for Humanity. It was such fulfilling work and I was so proud of and impressed by the hard-working students. They kept up a great spirit all week long, even though the work we were doing was pretty tough and the heat was intense. But we could see that we were making a difference in our hometown. We learned all about the meaningful work Habitat is doing to create affordable housing. We participated in works of mercy as we advanced the cause of real justice for real people. And every night I came home, showered, ate dinner, and fell asleep almost instantly.
I have noticed over my ministry career that any time I have a successful mission week or camp or retreat, I have a spiritual high that consistently is followed by a spiritual crash. Last week I felt ALIVE in youth ministry. I was living in my element! And then I come home to my quiet summer routine and feel so down. I’ve come to learn that this is really quite natural. It’s my body and soul’s way of saying, “You just gave a lot of yourself, it’s time to recuperate.” It’s not bad or something to avoid. It doesn’t make me less of a minister because I spiritually crash after an intense week of ministry. It is time for self-care.
Randy Maddox says, “Wesley was very direct in letters to his lay preachers and clergy colleagues, charging them to care for themselves, to make sure they got enough exercise, good diet, proper sleep. He did that partly because every Christian should do this, but he was also specifically telling pastors, “You won’t be able to carry on your ministry unless you take care of yourself.”
Back in my workaholic days, a friend of mine reminded me constantly that ministry should come from the overflow of my cup, not from the dregs. In other words, I need to make space in my calendar for caring for my own body and my own spirit. In doing so, I make space to better love God and neighbor. I recuperate my energies so that I can sustain long term, meaningful ministry.
Pro Tip: I’m not going to translate the last panel of Gen Z slang for you. IYKYK. It’s best that anyone older than Gen Z not use their slang.