Leading Without Emptying Yourself: Staying Spiritually Full in Ministry

I remember sitting in my chair one night, the only light coming from my computer screen. Another sermon to prepare. Another meeting to lead. Another call to return. Ministry had never felt like work before, but that night, I realized something. I was running on fumes.

I wasn’t just tired from a long day. It was an exhaustion that had built up over time. The kind that seeps into your soul, making everything feel heavier than it should. I had poured out everything I had, and I wasn’t sure what was left.

Maybe you’ve felt it too.

You love what you do, but the weight of constant leadership, shepherding, and serving has left you drained. The late-night emails, the never-ending needs, and the spiritual battles all add up. And yet, Jesus tells us:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

So why do so many of us in leadership feel more burdened than rested?

Why Ministry Leaders Run on Empty

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in the small, unseen moments where we prioritize work over worship, production over presence, and output over intimacy with God.

Signs you may be leading on empty:

• You’re constantly exhausted, even after time off.

• Ministry feels more like an obligation than a calling.

• Your time with God is rushed or missing altogether.

• You feel disconnected from the people you’re leading.

• You find yourself frustrated, impatient, or discouraged more than usual.

The scary thing? It’s possible to be effective in ministry while empty inside. You can keep showing up, preaching, and leading while your soul is starving.

That’s not what God intended.

Jesus' Leadership Model: Leading From Fullness, Not Emptiness

Jesus never burned out. Not because He wasn’t busy, but because He refused to lead on empty. He consistently withdrew, prayed, and prioritized time with the Father.

Consider this. Before Jesus performed miracles, before He taught the crowds, before He called the disciples, He spent 40 days alone with God.

He wasn’t rushing from one task to another. He was filled before He poured out.

Throughout His ministry, we see this pattern:

• Mark 1:35 – Before dawn, Jesus withdrew to pray.

• Luke 5:16 – He often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

• Matthew 14:23 – After ministering, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.

Jesus modeled something critical. You can’t pour out what you don’t first receive.

How to Lead Without Running Dry

If you want to be effective in ministry long-term, you must protect your spiritual, emotional, and physical health. Here’s how:

1. Prioritize your time with God.
   Don’t let ministry become a substitute for intimacy with Jesus. Your calling flows from your connection with Him, not the other way around.

2. Rest before you’re exhausted.
   Jesus didn’t rest because He was tired. He rested because He valued time with the Father. Build regular rhythms of rest into your life, not just emergency breaks when burnout is near.

3. Let others carry the load.
   Moses nearly burned out until Jethro told him to delegate (Exodus 18). The disciples were sent two by two, never alone. Who are you trusting to help carry the burden?

4. Refill what’s been poured out.
   Ministry is about giving, but if you never replenish your soul, you’ll have nothing left to give. Who is pouring into you spiritually? Who is walking with you in accountability and encouragement?

You Can’t Lead Well if You’re Running on Empty

It’s possible to be effective in ministry while your soul is exhausted. But God hasn’t called you to just survive ministry. He’s called you to thrive in it.

Jesus never led from exhaustion, and neither should we. He withdrew, prayed, and stayed spiritually full because He knew the depth of our leadership is tied to the depth of our intimacy with God.

So, before you give another sermon, plan another event, or pour into another person, pause. Let God pour into you first.

A Prayer for Leaders

Lord, I don’t want to lead on empty. I don’t want to give without receiving or serve without being spiritually full. Help me to slow down, to seek You first, and to lead from a place of overflow, not exhaustion. Give me wisdom to rest, strength to surrender, and courage to let go of things I was never meant to carry alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Are you leading from fullness or emptiness? Let’s start the conversation in the comments.