by Jay Jarboe
During an early morning ride to the airport, I asked a leader, “When do you take your sabbath rest?” He immediately responded with “Oh no, brother, I can’t take a rest, I am too busy in ministry.” Perhaps I was tired after a long trip, or perhaps it was the early morning darkness, but I quickly blurted out the question, “So you are better than God? Even God worked six days creating the universe, and on the seventh day, he rested.” If I have not said it, I surely have thought or felt it, “I am too busy to rest.” How do we lead from a place of rest?
Leading from rest requires listening to and walking with Jesus.
Leading from rest is an act of trust.
Psalm 46:10 reminds us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” It is in stillness that we learn our role is to faithfully steward what He entrusts to us without anxiety. We are called to abide in Him for apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Abiding is rest in motion – leading from a place of spiritual rootedness rather than frantic striving.
Leading from rest requires a rhythm of delegation and self-care.
Nehemiah’s leadership exemplifies these habits as he organized teams and shared responsibilities (Nehemiah 3). Leading from rest means acknowledging our limits and empowering others. Jesus also led from rest, by withdrawing for renewal. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). If the Son of God needed rest, how much more do we?
Leading from rest does not eliminate busyness – it transforms it. It allows leaders to move with peace, compassion, and faith, trusting God, who is at work in us for His glory.
About the Author
Jay Jarboe is the Director of the Emerging Leadership Initiative at Mission Resource Network (MRN), a global network with the vision to multiply healthy leaders to disciple the unreached and under-served people groups of the world. He is a coach and mentor for global leaders with a focus on equipping them to multiply healthy leaders for future generations.
Before joining the ministry of MRN, Jay served as the Lead Minister for the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas for five years. During his 25-year ministry with the Sunset Church of Christ and Sunset International Bible Institute (SIBI), Jay served the Director of the Adventures in Missions (AIM) program, an apprentice missionary training program, and as the Dean of Missions and instructor at SIBI.
He is married to Sherry, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren: Kenny, Meagan, Cash, and Adelaide Husband; Ryan, Mary, Oliver, and Lucy Jarboe. Jay and Sherry were missionaries in Mexico City and now they work with global workers, leaders, and churches around the world. His passion is seeking to be transformed into the image of Christ and helping others in that same quest.
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