The Strains of Ministry: How to recover from the long days
I just turned 30 and after eating plenty of sweets in celebration this weekend I’ve realized my body is telling my body, “You can’t handle a second...
Rebound From A Long Weekend
Christopher Wesley
Apr 17, 2011
There are some Monday mornings when I wake up feeling like a freight train has just collided with my body. Body, mind and spirit are all wiped. There was one time I actually woke up with a pulled muscle. It was so bad I had to go to the doctor to receive muscle relaxers. For most of us Sunday is the longest day of the week. But the way to get through Sundays is by preparing for the next day…your recovery day. So make sure you do the following three things:
- Give Thanks: I don’t know about you but I find myself walking through a Sunday physically willing myself to “make things happen” and I get nothing. But then I remember to give it over to God and He in turn gives me His grace. Without God’s grace we couldn’t do what we do. The next day should be about giving Him thanks by celebrating the greatness He accomplished through you.
- Start Slow: I used to have this need to get in early on Monday because the office was quiet, but now I’m realizing I need to ease my way back in. If you get Monday off great, but if not see if you can work it where you don’t have any meetings before noon. The day after your busiest day should be reflective.
- Be Healthy: I try to eat a healthy breakfast (egg white omelet w/ fruit), go for a run and sleep in a little bit. For me Sunday is a 12 hour day and one thing I’ve learned from running marathons is that your diet and habits the day after physically exhausting your body is just as important as the day before. Some times we ignore the physical toll our bodies experience.
Sunday is a day where we are
more than the youth pastor. It’s a day where we
pour ourselves out to students, staff, church members, parents and ministers. It’s a day we feel more susceptible to Satan’s ugly taunts. It’s a day that can wear us out. But it’s a day that’s worth it because it’s all about worshipping God and introducing people to the best relationship they’ll ever have. So as you go giving it your all today, plan out your Monday. Make it your rebound day. Give yourself time to recover, to refresh, so that the rest of the week you are ready to go.
How do you rebound from a long weekend?