A Sabbath Lifestyle

 Friends outside your ministry/company

Friendships that are authentic, honest, and fun are absolutely necessary for you to avoid burnout. A big part of refueling is being with friends who don’t drain energy from you but add energy to you. You can feel it. I can feel it. We all know that feeling when we are drained after being with someone, be it a client or church member or anyone who simply needs you to help solve an issue. Yes, that’s meaningful, but it’s also draining. You need friends who leave you feeling reenergized after hanging out with them. There must be time when you’re accomplishing nothing. Even if you have to reframe the hangout time, tell yourself that you’re accomplishing the goal of being refueled by accomplishing nothing. Reframe the idea of downtime. You’re not being lazy. You’re refueling.

 Hobbies

I had two mentors tell me the same thing when I became a lead pastor. “Jordan,” they said, “whatever you do as you enter this new season of becoming a senior pastor, do not quit making music altogether. You have to carve out time for that. Otherwise, you’ll suffocate.” That was some of the best advice ever given to me. I was writing and producing music three days a week for eight years before becoming lead pastor. Let’s just say that “I LOVE MUSIC.” There’s nothing like it. To lock into a pocket and create a melody that rings in the ears of people, causing them to praise and be thankful, is simply amazing. I still make music every Friday, and I guard that time like a bulldog guarding a new bone. Why? I get to continue to be fully me. If you don’t create some time for yourself to just enjoy something, you’ll lose some of the joy in your life. It’s a great idea to have a hobby outside of your church or business. Take time for something enjoyable that will give you fuel. If you “burn the candle at both ends,” you’ll burn out. That doesn’t make you look spiritual, and burnout certainly isn’t God’s plan for you. It is not part of the process He has in mind and it’s not what your spouse or children desire, either.

 Daily Time with Jesus

Your daily devotional life must remain of highest importance. Without it, you’ll begin to strive in your own strength and gradually depend on God less and less. This will leave you feeling worn out and burned out. Jesus died not to make you a successful leader. He died so you could be His friend and brother and know the Father on a personal level. This relationship of love must be preeminent. Nurture it. Guard it. Take care of your time with the Lord, and don’t let any goal interfere with it. Don’t let any demand from any person steal it. Don’t let social media or the need to scroll keep you from knowing the One who holds the stars. Don’t give up the inheritance for a bowl of soup. Value what Jesus paid for. Spend time daily with Him, and you’ll find that you’ve got more than enough energy for the day and confidence to face what comes your way.

In the old covenant, there was a light in the tabernacle. When you look at the menorah and the function it served—to give light to the tent of meeting— you may notice that it had to be continually filled with oil from above for that wick to avoid burning out. Likewise, you are called to shine the light of Jesus Christ as a leader in your community; but unless you take time to let God fill you with the oil of His Spirit, you’ll soon burn out. The wick needs the oil.

Likewise, you need the oil of the Spirit, and that only comes through waiting and resting in God’s presence. Years after Moses and the tabernacle, we find David discovering the beauty of knowing God one-on-one. Let’s follow David’s example and discover the joy of knowing God intimately each and every day by spending time in His presence. No leader plans to quit or throw in the towel one day. We all want to succeed and put a smile on God’s face. We want to endure. A key to endurance in your public ministry is your worship in privacy. Follow the apostles’ example and take time to wait on the Lord to fill you and refill you on a regular basis.

The leader who doesn’t take time to pray and be filled is the leader who leads in his own strength, and man’s strength will always come to an end. But in the Spirit, there is newness of life and an ease that enables you to keep going and keep going strong.

“It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord. —Zechariah 4:6

 Exercise

Do you want to endure? Take care of your body. The simple act of leading yourself, disciplining yourself into a routine of exercise, trains your brain to feel the following: I’m in control of my life. My life is not out of control or out of focus. Other people and their demands are not dictating my every move. The Holy Spirit has given me the fruit of self-control, and He can help me with my health. It’s so rejuvenating to work out and put your body in its proper place of health. Like most people, I’m not 100 percent diligent in this, yet I know that when I am, I feel much, much better. I’ve got more energy to lead and lead well.

Thousands of studies have proven the various benefits of exercise. It increases your ability to think clearly, reach goals at work and, for most people, it leaves them feeling energized and ready for what lies ahead. Many of the greatest leaders of our day are also athletes or, at the very least, disciplined to exercise weekly. That’s not a coincidence.

When your body, soul, and spirit are being taken care of, you’re much more likely to endure the difficulties of leadership. You’re more likely to manage criticism properly; and if you’re a leader, criticism will come. It’s an occupational hazard. If you aren’t healthy and at peace—body, soul, and spirit—criticism will cause anxiety and lead to all kinds of trouble.

As a leader, not everyone will like what you say or the decisions you make. Know that up front. You’re a leader. You lead. It’s what you do. The very act of leading implies that you will be making changes. Maybe you’ve heard the old saying, “The only place that consistently rejects change is the cemetery.” The people you lead are alive. . . . I’m assuming, anyway.

That said, there will be decisions you make that require them to change, and some of them simply won’t like it. They’ll criticize you. They’ll tell you that you’re wrong and may even say you’re not hearing from God. Whether it’s the wall color or a location change, those you lead won’t always be 100 percent in consensus, and they may be critical of your decisions or even your motives. In those moments, don’t get defensive or angry. Know that they are likely questioning only because they care about the organization you’re leading. Now, if someone is simply critical or negative more often than not, you likely need to cut them loose. Some leaders don’t have the courage to confront or release staff who are toxic and thereby they forfeit everyone’s success. Those people need to go. And that’s okay. Leaders need to endure, but I’m not saying that you should become a doormat.

The majority of time, those who offer critique are not being negative or rebellious toward you. Don’t take it personally. They are simply wanting what’s best. Be the leader who takes their criticism and questions and genuinely listens to their concerns with an open mind and heart. Endure criticism. Even welcome it. I’ve told my team often, “Tell me if I’m wrong or being unreasonable in any way,” or, “Guys, let me know if you think that could’ve been better.” I also ask, “Is there any habit I have that is frustrating you that you’d like to tell me about?”

When given the permission, they’ll sometimes share something that’s a blind spot to me. I have even opened my sermon or lecture to my leadership team and asked some of my staff, “Please look this over and tell me what I’m missing or how it could be better.”

Great leaders don’t only endure criticism—they welcome it, because they want to be continually growing. After God gives you a promise or a dream, reality must be faced. In facing reality, there will be many obstacles to overcome and even tests of your character. If you endure these by humbling yourself and constantly looking to Jesus in prayer and to your team for feedback, you’ll likely experience what the world would call success: a place in which you’ve either achieved your goals or have a following of some sort. For many, the stage of success can prove to be the most difficult.