Resignation day can sound dramatic, but for a lot of pastors it’s the quiet end of a long road of burnout, low energy, and wrestling with God about what’s next. Matt Thomas joins us to tell the truth about leaving pastoral ministry without walking away from Jesus, and why the actual moment of writing the resignation letter can feel both heavy and strangely relieving.

We dig into what happens after the job ends and the adrenaline wears off. Matt shares how separation from the church context can surface grief, exhaustion, and unexpected triggers, and why spiritual practices like prayer and reading the Bible can suddenly feel complicated when they’ve been intertwined with ministry pressure. We also talk about the gap between “I choose to forgive” and the emotional aftershocks that keep showing up, plus why venting safely to trusted people and to God can be part of real healing.

From there, we zoom out to the bigger picture: why pastors experience church differently, how “dual relationships” and shifting expectations wear leaders down, and why a season away from church can be a wise sabbatical rather than a failure. Matt also shares what he’s hoping for next, including training in counseling, healthier boundaries, and a simpler path to discipleship that doesn’t require a title to be meaningful.

If you’ve ever felt cooked, disillusioned, or just tired of carrying it all, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review. What part of recovery would you want to rebuild first?

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Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories that heal the soul.