The thing about pastoring is that, at any given moment, someone is experiencing one of the most significant moments of their life—and they need their pastor. Someone is in the hospital. Someone is getting married. Someone is dying. Someone is welcoming a new life.

At the same time, someone is angry that the pastor’s sermon didn’t speak to the latest national tragedy. Someone is ready to leave the congregation if the pastor’s political opinion doesn’t match their own. Someone is asking for advice but not actually ready to receive it.

Pastoring is marked by a myriad of needs for leadership and pastoral care. Shepherding souls is a noisy task, one that can drain even the most called and equipped. Set these demands against the backdrop of an increasingly chaotic cultural moment, and it’s no wonder that pastors are burning out and daydreaming of a cubicled nine-to-five.

For some, the decision to step back from vocational ministry is a wise and honorable choice. ...