16/07/2024
Leading worship is physically, emotionally, creatively and spiritually exhausting. Not just on Sundays, but all throughout the week of set planning, service prep, scheduling, rehearsals, and volunteer investment.
Your capacity is a currency that you spend every day. Make sure you have some of that currency left for yourself and your family. Donât push so hard that you bankrupt yourself. Budget your time and effort, so you have something left at the end of the day.
I know you want to do your very best. The Lord deserves it, right? But sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. Our inner critic is loud. We want things to be excellent. But guarding our capacity and budgeting our effort wisely might mean that your transitions this week may not be as smooth, your lighting scene might not be perfect, or that piece of tech or gear you really wanted to implement might not happen this week.
If you donât properly budget your capacity, and give so much of yourself to your ministry, your day job, and other things, youâll have nothing left for yourself or your family. Thatâs not honoring to God.
Know the signs of burnout. If things start to feel like a chore, if the joy is no longer there, if youâre so exhausted that you have nothing left in the tank for your spouse, your kids, or even yourself, you need to act now. Hit the reset button. Make time for rest. Talk to someone about how youâre feeling. Do it before itâs too late. Before youâre forced to by outside factors.
Worship leader, take care of yourself. Be honest about your capacity and know when you need some margin in your life. Seek the Lord and spend time with Him, take that time off (the church will be okay), invest in your family and pursue your spouse if youâre married. See a therapist- thereâs nothing wrong with that.
Pastor, listen to your worship leader. If they are telling you theyâre overwhelmed, they truly are. Give them space, ask how you can help. Maybe that meeting could be an email, that book shouldnât be a required read right now, or that event or project can wait.
Letâs do a better job with our capacity, so we can honor God, love ourselves and our families well, and avoid burnout.