5.18.25 Word from the Pastor

Personally, this week felt a little harder than the others. I realized that for the past month or so, it’s been nonstop, just constant running. Now that most of the big events are behind me, I finally felt like I could take a breather. But with that breather came the early signs of burnout. I remember thinking, I thought I had moved past burnout. I had been feeling joy, peace, and genuine excitement to serve these past few months. But all of a sudden, I could feel this deep tension in my soul, and it began to affect my thoughts. My mind started to race, and I found myself struggling to stay focused on what I needed to do.

So how do we prevent burnout? What causes it? Life is busy. And for me, this season of life is especially full. We’re raising three little children, and that alone is a lot. Ministry has its own demands. On top of that, there are financial worries, relationships to care for, school events, and just the everyday responsibilities of life. Burnout doesn’t only come from doing too much ministry. The reality is, busyness will always be there. The real reason we burn out is because we begin to rely on our own strength instead of trusting in God.

In one of my classes, we did a mindfulness exercise where the teacher asked us to think about something that makes us feel safe. It could be a person, an animal, or even a Bible verse. The verse that came to my mind was Matthew 11, where Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary.” As I closed my eyes, I pictured Jesus, and I imagined laying beside him like a little child. It reminded me of a time back in Korea when I felt like I couldn’t keep going. It was that same familiar longing, a child reaching for the safety of a parent. In that moment, God was gently reminding me to rest in him.

Because we live in the flesh, we will feel the weight of life. We’ll face stress, conflict, and burdens. That’s unavoidable. But instead of trying to carry it all ourselves or find a way out on our own, we’re invited to lean on God. We’re called to keep our eyes on him, to behold him, and to find our strength in him.

“I lift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.”

When we shift our focus from ourselves to God, that’s where true strength comes from. Sometimes, it means stepping back from the busyness of ministry and simply focusing on God. Sometimes, it means letting go of the to-do list and spending time in his presence. This week, I was humbly reminded of how important it is to be still before the Lord.

I pray that you, too, may be strengthened and find your rest in him. For truly, he carries our burdens and gives us rest that is easy and light. Amen.