Where to Find Nourishment and Rest

Leaders do get tired. Especially in stressful times when they see the
need to extend and stretch beyond their normal capacity, exhaustion
follows. From the patterns of Jesus it is obvious that we must take
responsibility for our own rest. The tasks and the people will come,
endlessly. It's up to the leader to choose to live in the calling and
understand when the Father is calling him or her away for a season of
rest. Things like rest, food, prayer and the Word are essentials for
the journey into a destiny.

John 4 Jesus points to another place of nourishment. It is a bit
surprising, really, when we are exhausted. Serving and giving!
Really? John 4 Jesus is tired. Tired physically and likely
emotionally. But a woman comes to the well and he engages her. The
conversation is intriguing to her and he leads her to a moment of
faith and decision. And here, when he is worn out he comes alive. I
know, to speak of Jesus coming alive is a bit odd. His heart and soul
come alive in the ministry of the moment. The Spirit flows and the
Father is engaged and the Son of God is alive with vision and hope. A
whole town is about to come to eternal life and he is pumped!
Imagine, Jesus pumped!!! How cool is that! When the disciples return
they urge him to eat but he is fired up, maybe too fired up to eat.
His words, "I have food to eat you no nothing about." Then he
explains. Fulfilling the mission of the Father energizes him. The
flow of the Spirit, the impact of the ministry fuels his heart and
nourishes him. If you have ever been used by the Lord significantly
you will know this experience. Just when you are worn out the
Spirit's filling moves in you and you are far from tired. You are
pumped!

The other factors are critical to long term ministry, proper rest,
study, prayer, people (community) and vision. But when those converge
in a moment and we are used by the Father, tired is far from our
hearts and minds. Amazing, really, that serving others can bring us
back to life, fill our hearts with hope and vision as we are filled by
the Father for His use. But then again that is when we are most alive!