EDITORIAL
Transformation | Derwin L. Gray
Ministry is a journey through the wilderness with God’s people. We are called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to lead thirsty souls to the Living Water. But here’s where the danger is lurking: When we act as if it’s our job to manufacture living water, we become spiritually and emotionally dry. Dry shepherds leading dry sheep brings a slow spiritual death.
If we attempt to provide for others without first being nourished ourselves, we burn out. We wound ourselves and others. If we want to care for souls effectively and those entrusted to our care, we must first drink deeply from the well of God’s love.
Here are four holy habits to cultivate soul care in our lives and ministries:
1. Drink the Living Water of God’s Love.
Too often, we hustle for affirmation. We chase success, numbers and recognition, hoping they’ll validate us. But true soul care starts with drinking deeply from the love of the Father who says, “You are my beloved.” Before you pour out for others, let yourself be filled with the love that doesn’t waver, doesn’t depend on performance, and doesn’t run dry.
2. Drink the Living Water of Your Christ-Forged Identity.
Ministry can be an identity trap. We begin to believe we are our titles, our roles, our platforms. But Scripture reminds us: “It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
When our identity is anchored in Jesus, we serve from a place of security rather than striving. We don’t need to prove ourselves. We don’t need to compare or compete. We simply live out of the grace that has been lavished upon us.
3. Drink the Living Water of Mourning.
Ministry is beautiful, but it also can be brutal with disappointment, loss, betrayal and heartbreak. Too often, leaders push through the pain without processing it. But Jesus tells us, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).
Mourning is a holy act that drips God’s grace into our soul. It is an acknowledgment that things are not as they should be. When we mourn, we create space for God’s comfort to meet us. If we neglect this habit, we risk becoming numb, cynical or bitter. We must allow ourselves to bring our pain to Jesus rather than burying it under busyness.
4. Drink the Living Water of the Sabbath.
Jesus reminded the Pharisees, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). The Sabbath is a life-giving gift, yet ministry leaders are some of the worst at accepting this gift. We equate busyness with faithfulness, but God designed us for rest.
Sabbath is about more than just taking a day off; it’s about trusting that God holds the world together, not us. It’s about ceasing from work, delighting in God’s presence, and resting in his provision. Sabbath is an act of faith, a declaration that we are not slaves to productivity but beloved children who can rest in the Father’s care.
Soul care is not selfish—it’s essential. When we take care of ourselves, we become wellsprings of life for others.