Renewing Your Heart for MinistryÀpẹrẹ

Day 5: Your Soul Needs Tending Too

I used to feel guilty about needing rest or taking a day off. "People are hurting," I'd tell myself. "How can I take time off when there's so much work to do?" Sound familiar? I was running myself ragged until a wise mentor asked me, "How can you give what you don't have?" We had a saying back then, "I would rather burn out than rust out". The problem with living according to that statement is that you are still out!

Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church, learned this lesson the hard way. Despite leading a thriving ministry, he realized he was spiritually parched—constantly pouring out but never filling up. Following the example of Psalm 23, Giglio started implementing what he called "green pasture practices"—regular times of rest, reflection, and soul-refreshing activities that had nothing to do with ministry productivity.

He began hiking, reading for pleasure, and taking technology sabbaths. The surprising result? These practices didn't diminish his ministry effectiveness; they enhanced it. When his soul was refreshed, his guidance became clearer and his leadership more sustainable.

Here's what I love about this psalm: The shepherd doesn't drive sheep to green pastures—He leads them. There's an invitation in God's call to rest, not a demand.

John Eldredge puts it beautifully: "The shepherd doesn't drive sheep to green pastures; He leads them. There's a gentleness in God's invitation to rest that we often miss in our driven culture." Taking care of your own soul isn't selfish; it's stewardship. We can't give what we don't have.

Your soul needs tending just like a garden needs watering. What brings you joy that has nothing to do with ministry? What makes you feel fully alive? That's not a luxury—it's necessary maintenance for your calling.

Schedule a 2-hour block for pure soul refreshment; something that brings you joy and has no ministry agenda whatsoever. Maybe it's time in nature, creative expression, coffee with a friend who makes you laugh, or simply being still. Mark it on your calendar and protect it like it's sacred, because it is.