7 Lessons from My Sabbatical

I’m thankful for the two-month sabbatical I just completed! It was good for my soul to step away from pastoral ministry for a couple months and use that time to rest, study, and be with friends and family.

My family and I were in England for most of the time and my activities included attending a pastors’ conference, reading books (for pleasure and study), praying, reading God’s Word, relaxing, walking, going for a road trip with my family to Scotland, getting away for a long weekend alone with Rachel, attending local churches in England and Scotland, and experiencing fellowship with English and Scottish Christians.

This sabbatical was such a gift and I praise God for it! I’m also thankful for Cross of Christ Fellowship for supporting me through it (and the guest preachers who filled the pulpit while I was away).

Here are 7 lessons that the Lord taught me (and retaught!) me during my sabbatical:

1 My life is short and I want to use it for Christ. “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12; Jas 4:13-17). I am not guaranteed a single day on this earth, and remembering this helps me not to squander my time and be more focused on the good works God has for me (Eph 2:10).

2 It is a great honor and responsibility to be a pastor. Attending a pastors’ conference in England brought this truth home to my mind again in a fresh way. God gives pastors as a gift to the local church to help Christians follow Jesus, and it’s a high responsibility and privilege to be a pastor (Eph 4:11-13). I’m thankful for how I’ve been able to be a pastor to our church here in Naperville and for the opportunity to continue to pastor by God’s grace in the future.

3 God shows his power through our weakness. I felt weak going into the sabbatical and reflected on the important biblical truth that God displays his strength in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9). As I continue in life and ministry, I hope to operate out of this mindset more intentionally, rather than rely on my own strengths and gifts.

4 I need God’s Word to be my guide and it is good for me to frequently read and meditate on his word. During the sabbatical I had some great time reading God’s word, not only during my daily morning reading, but also at times in the afternoon or the evening. This was  good reminder that we are to desire God’s word like a newborn baby desires milk (1 Pe 2:2). God’s Word is a lamp to our feet (Ps 119:105). My feelings and understanding of situations can deceive me, but God’s word never will.

5 There is a great goodness in gospel ministry. The gospel is the best and most important news out there and all Christians are called to point others to it. It was good for my heart to remember this truth; it brings fresh motivation to the task of gospel ministry (Col 3:16).

6 I want to make the best use of my time and not waste so much of it on news and social media. During my sabbatical, I stepped away from social media and news. This was not only really refreshing and good for my soul, it also freed up more time to read and be with my family. I need wisdom of how to reengage news and social media. I pray God would give me wisdom to make the best use of my time (Eph 5:16; Col 4:5).

7 God is better than everything; to know, God is eternal life (John 17:3). Whatever the Lord has for me and this season in the future, to know Him is better than everything. To know God is better than health, wealth, success, fame, earthly and physical pleasures, accomplishments, everything. I pray that God helps me to remember this and live it out daily.