Energy is Not a Luxury - It's Stewardship
Jun 15, 2026
Recently I had one of those strange leadership days. For about eight hours, everything was clicking. Conversations were productive. Ministry was moving forward. I was energized. Then one difficult hour happened.
It wasn’t catastrophic. Nobody died. The church didn’t implode. But one frustrating interaction somehow stole all the joy from the previous eight hours.
Have you noticed how that works? One criticism outweighs ten encouragements. One difficult meeting overshadows a week of progress. One disappointment suddenly feels bigger than a dozen victories. I went home frustrated, and when I woke up the next morning, it felt like I was carrying that frustration around like a backpack full of bricks.
So I did something I’ve learned I have to do. I grabbed a cup of coffee and drove to the Oregon coast.
As I walked along the beach, I noticed thousands of footprints in the sand—families, runners, dogs, couples. Then I spotted one set of seagull footprints. They wandered everywhere. Back and forth. Circles. Random turns. No apparent destination.
I actually laughed out loud because I thought, That’s exactly what my mind feels like today.
Aimless. Distracted. Spinning.
Eventually I walked beyond all the footprints to a stretch of untouched sand. That’s always where I want to be—not just physically, but spiritually. Away from the noise. Away from everyone else’s expectations. Away from the constant demands of leadership.
As I stood there, I sensed the Holy Spirit whisper, “Read Psalm 23.”
That was it.
No dramatic revelation. No lightning bolt from heaven. Just Psalm 23.
I pulled out my phone and slowly read it out loud. Seven minutes later, everything had changed.
Not my circumstances. Not the difficult conversation from the day before. Not my responsibilities. Just me.
My breathing slowed. My shoulders relaxed. My perspective returned. My joy came back.
It reminded me of something every leader needs to remember.
Energy is not a luxury. It’s stewardship.
We often treat energy as though it’s optional. We tell ourselves, “I’ll rest after this season,” or “I’ll take a day off once things slow down.” The problem is that leadership rarely slows down on its own.
Every room you enter receives something from you. You either bring energy or you consume it. You either elevate the emotional climate or everyone around you has to carry yours. Leadership is, in many ways, the transfer of energy.
The good news is that Scripture never asks us to manufacture that energy ourselves. God simply calls us to receive it from Him and pass it along.
I think of it like an extension cord. An extension cord doesn’t create electricity. It simply stays connected to the source and carries that power somewhere else. That’s our job as leaders. We aren’t the source—we’re the conduit.
The problem is that many pastors, myself included, try to solve spiritual exhaustion with more work. We preach another sermon, schedule another meeting, answer another email, or convince ourselves that if we just accomplish a little more, we’ll finally feel energized again.
But exhaustion has a way of distorting reality. Problems feel bigger than they are. Criticism feels heavier than it should. Even God can seem farther away. Usually the issue isn’t our calling. It’s our capacity.
For me, I’ve discovered that my tank fills through remarkably simple things: a journal, a pen, solitude, and time in God’s Word. Those practices don’t remove the pressure of leadership, but they reconnect me to the One who carries it with me.
Your rhythms may look different than mine. Maybe it’s prayer walking. Maybe it’s hiking, worship music, or sitting quietly with a cup of coffee before everyone else wakes up. The method isn’t nearly as important as the rhythm. If you don’t know what consistently fills your tank, leadership will eventually empty it.
As you begin this week, ask yourself three questions:
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What consistently drains my energy?
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What consistently refills my tank?
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Where have I actually scheduled that into my week?
Don’t wait until you’re running on fumes to reconnect with God.
One of the things I love most about that morning is that God didn’t shame me. He didn’t say, “Come on, Gabe. Get it together.” He simply invited me back.
That’s what the Good Shepherd does.
“He restores my soul.”
Leadership will always cost you energy. The question isn’t whether you’ll spend it. The question is whether you’ll keep returning to the only One who can replenish it.
Because energy isn’t a luxury.
It’s stewardship.
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