The Moment Every Pastor Knows
There is a difference between the passing thought of leaving and the sustained, serious contemplation of it. Most pastors have the first kind regularly and the second kind occasionally.
When Leaving Starts to Sound Like Relief There is a difference between the passing thought of leaving and the sustained, serious contemplation of it. Most pastors have the first kind regularly and the second kind occasionally. Both are worth paying attention to. When leaving starts to feel like relief rather than loss, something important is happening. It may be burnout. It may be a legitimate leading from God. It may be the enemy exploiting a moment of weakness to pull you from an assignment that is about to bear fruit. The discernment challenge is figuring out which. And you cannot do that discernment well when you are in the middle of the crisis that produced the thought. You need enough distance, enough rest, and enough trusted perspective to see clearly — before you make a decision that has permanent consequences. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9 Don't make a permanent decision from a temporary pain. Wait. Rest. Get perspective. The harvest may be closer than you think.
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James Bell
Lead Teaching Pastor at First Baptist Church in Fenton, Michigan, and founder of the Pastors Connection Network. For over 15 years, James has served in full-time ministry—planting churches, leading revitalization efforts, and consulting with pastors and ministry leaders across the country. Out of his own seasons of burnout and isolation, he founded the Pastors Connection Network, a growing community of leaders committed to gospel-centered relationships and long-term faithfulness in ministry.