Jamin Bradley

Pastors are used to wearing many hats, so why don’t we leave ministry and put on a different one when ministry gets hard? Why can’t we quit?

Because there’s one relationship that never gives up on us and never ends: Jesus. He is the one who called us into this space in the first place and empowered us for it. We might want to quit, but if he doesn’t want us to, we will aim to please him. If he wants us where we’re at, we will stay. If he wants us to preach something that will disrupt the status quo, we will do our best to preach it.

When pastors settle for anything less than Jesus, burnout wins. It’s his yoke that is easy and his burden that is light. When we take off his yoke for a different one, everything gets impossibly heavy. We must turn around regularly to see who’s in the cart. Is it our pain and trauma? Is it someone we upset? Is it our pride? Is it a demon? Is it no one at all? If it’s not Jesus, then we’re going to burn out.

Without Jesus, the pastor is doomed. No one can care for his bride like he can. No congregant can carry the weight of ministry with you as he can. No friendship can equate to the friendship that he can give. No gift is greater than the gift of his Holy Spirit. I promise you: you can’t do ministry without him—and if you try, you will burn out in the most painful way. Jesus is the only one who can fully carry the weight of ministry with you.

We can’t quit ministry because we can’t quit Jesus. This can be a painful, stressful job—but it’s our job. As pastors, we know who we are and why we’re called to this. Yes, we have debated fleeing many times, but it’s never worked out. Where else would we go? What would fulfill us? How could we shut up that fire in our bones? If we ran away, it would just burst out of us in some new ministerial capacity, and we’d be right back in it.

What’s your yoke feel like? How much does your burden weigh? If you can’t handle it, make sure you’re carrying the right master.