Kristi and I are now about a month into what we’re calling a “sabbatical,” ever since we stepped away from the ministry position I previously held at Waterfront Community Church. It’s been an adventure, leaving a job we love, and intentionally not having something to immediately jump into.. People usually leave a place to go somewhere else. It’s kind of bizzare being called away from something without being called to something. But that’s our story.
I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine named Shawn Williams, last December. He was in his own process of transition, moving to a new area and ministry after serving a church for over 10 years. And Shawn mentioned that a mentor of his had advised that he take some time off between roles. He’d said there are precious few moments in the life of a pastor where you have the time and bandwidth to slow down, take the temperature of your spirit and listen to God.
And after I heard that, I decided that’s precisely what I needed. It was time for me to recalibrate. I needed to hear what God was saying. I needed to separate myself from the norm, and be open to the next thing. And I needed the space to hear Him.
I had lunch last week with a new friend named Eric Lerew. And as I told Eric a little about this Sabbatical season of mine, he reminded me of a great passage in Isaiah 43:19:
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
It’s so easy to miss what God’s doing sometimes. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the busyness of your routines, even when those routines are good ministry focused tasks. And Eric gave me a great reminder of why I’m doing what I’m doing for these few months at this particular moment in our lives:
Sometimes you have to take the time, and slow down long enough to perceive the new thing God is up to.
