If there’s one lesson I’ve learned after years of ministry it’s that being busy and being effective don’t always go hand in hand. Many times, I can be busy doing ministry, but don’t feel like anything I’m doing is really working. Other times, I can focus on just a couple of activities and feel like I’m getting tremendous traction.

While we should always work hard as kids’ ministry leaders, we are called to be effective—not efficient. Our focus shouldn’t be on being busy, but being intentional in everything we do.

Sometimes, that means we should be intentional in our rest.

This week, we’ve unpacked some of the valuable ways you can build in rest to the busy holiday season. Today, I want to highlight three specific reasons why resting is not just recommended, it’s essential for ministry.

Three Reasons It’s Essential for KidMin Leaders to Rest

Here are three reasons why we need to be intentional about taking time to rest this Christmas:

●      We model what healthy rest is for our families. Our families are watching us more closely than anyone else. When we fail to model what it looks like to truly rest, we set a bad precedent for the people who look up to us the most.

●      We garner God’s favor. Rest is an intentional part of God’s design for our lives. The whole Sabbath idea wasn’t a suggestion. It was an imperative. Rest is an intentional part of God’s plan for our lives. When we enjoy it, we live the life He created us to live. We ignore it, and we live outside of the way He designed us. 

●      It improves ministry effectiveness. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking time to not focus on doing ministry can actually increase overall ministry effectiveness. When we take time to rest, it gives us the energy we need to maximize the times we actually do have to plan ministry activities and engage with kids.

I hope you were able to find an opportunity to rest this week. If not, my prayer is that God would give you time to enjoy it over the next several days. However, that might require you to be intentional about seeking it out.

There will always be more work to be done. This week, let it lie. Take some time to rest. God designed you to enjoy it. And it will make you more effective in the long run.

What are some other benefits you’ve seen from intentionally taking time to rest?