Resting While Working

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Unless you are in ministry. Then just go non-stop because Jesus died on the cross for the world; what’s your excuse?”  Matthew 11:28*

Okay, maybe some of that is added to the text, but the reality is that we, as pastors, often live that way. So much to do, and if we truly want to do whatever it takes to reach this next generation for Christ, we would just go, go, go.

And then we wonder why our highest monthly expense is not our mortgage but our therapist sessions.

Over the past several years, I’ve seen an emphasis on the return to the Holy Sabbath. Books like John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry have reminded all of us (especially pastors) of the importance of regular and consistent times of worship and Sabbath.   I pray this trend will continue. But for the purpose of today, I want to move beyond weekly sabbaths, vacations, or even structured Sabbaticals.   I want to look at REST.

One definition I saw of the word “rest” was a temporary interruption of exertion. A temporary interruption…notice it doesn’t say full stop.

Is it possible to work and rest at the same time? Is it possible to take a temporary interruption from my normal routine and still find rest while I work? I think it is. And I think you can do this.

Below are some examples of temporary interruptions that have worked for me over the years. These temporary interruptions have refreshed and renewed me in various seasons without ever having to take an official day off.

(Disclaimer: I had to receive supervisor approval for most of the suggestions below. In addition, I had to plan well and rely on quality leaders to fill in where needed. I strongly encourage you to do the same. It’s worth it.)

Take A Rest from Daily or Weekly Tasks

Do you ever have that one project that it feels like you’ve been working on for months or years but can’t ever seem to finish because the day-to-day demands always take precedence? Are you a victim of the tyranny of the urgent?

What would it look like to rest from your daily/weekly routine, put up your out-of-office, and get away to a mountain cabin for a few days, a week, or maybe your favorite coffee shop for a day, and just focus on that one project until it is complete? Will everything fall apart if you tap out for a day or a week? If so, that’s worth considering!

You’re not taking time off. You’re still working. But you are taking a temporary interruption from your normal routine.

Take A Rest from All Non-Discipleship/Relationship Tasks

Do you ever feel like the thing you do the least as a pastor is…well…pastoring?

What would it look like to rest from your daily/weekly routine, put up your out-of-office, and schedule a week full of hangouts, gatherings, and discipleship with your leaders, students, and families? 40 hours of just “being” and not “doing.”40 hours of:

• Before school, the Chick-fil-A Bible studies
• Afternoon coffee with leaders
• Friday night local football game
• School lunches
• Dropping in at parents’ homes
• Sitting around the campfire talking about how Jesus changed your life with some students and leaders.

Take A Rest from Running Weekend Programming

Do you ever feel like you run around like a chicken with your head cut off on Sundays, making sure that your programming is running as smoothly as possible?

What would it look like to take a rest not from attending but from leading? When was the last time you just sat back and observed? Or maybe took on a smaller role: hosting, check-in, audio/visual, etc. When was the last time programming was refreshing to you because you saw what God was doing rather than being focused on what you were doing?

How incredible would it be if churches let their staff pick select Sundays when they came to church simply to worship and be? Rather than coming every week to serve and work.

Take A Rest from Running YOUR Weekend Programming

Or maybe you just seem bogged down by not having fresh ideas, and everything seems so stale in your Student Ministry. Maybe the well has run dry in the creativity department.

What would it look like to rest from your church and go and observe (or even serve) at another church in your community? Maybe even serve for a day? Or swap places with the Student Director at that church? Not only is it a break in your rhythm, but it’s a chance to broaden your scope of ministry, see how other ministries are functioning, and give you space to do what you love to do without a paycheck or job responsibility behind it.

Take A Rest from Serving Your People

As much as you love your sheep, there are times when it’s good to remind ourselves that we can (and should) serve those outside our flock because we serve the God of the Nations. Different backgrounds. Different ethnicities. Different socioeconomic statuses.   We get to serve them all.

What would it be like to rest from your church and serve in the community for a few hours? Or maybe even a day? What about serving on a national or international mission trip without teenagers?

Take A Rest from Teaching and Preaching

Yes. The Golden Calf of Student Ministry. I know I’m treading on thin ice here…

What would it look like to rest for a month or so and have other elders, pastors, or qualified leaders in your church pour into and invest in this next generation?   An amazing thing happens when we recognize that students need to hear the authoritative Word of God, but we also recognize that we don’t have to be the only ones teaching them.

I could continue, but hopefully, the above at least spurs you to think more proactively about resting while working. Take what works. Modify it. Come up with your own.

But don’t burn out. Fill yourself up so you can give yourself away.

Share your thoughts with others in our YM360 community:

1. Do any of the above suggestions seem appealing or feasible to you? If so, what’s your next step in moving forward with them?
2. Have any of the suggestions above spurred you on to think more creatively in terms of how you rest and work at the same time? Is there a Student Pastor in your area that could hold you accountable for it? Talk to them about it.