Get Some Rest

“In our busy culture, we tend to wear ourselves out. We are seeking success and contentment, but what we get is exhaustion. When life gets too busy, follow the example of Jesus and His disciples: withdraw, go to a quiet place, and get some rest!”

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“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ “

Mark 6:31

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Do you ever feel like you are constantly running around, playing catch up, tackling errands, scheduling meetings, fulfilling obligations? Are you having a hard time finding a moment to yourself to just recharge? In our production-over-everything culture, we tend to wear ourselves out trying to do everything and be everywhere. We are seeking success and contentment, but what we get is exhaustion.

Being a driven and motivated person is not necessarily a negative thing. The world has benefited greatly from people with these traits, and we very much need them! However, all of this pressure to reach goals, obtain riches, or accomplish tasks can start to weigh on a person. Stress and lack of sleep can really take a toll on a person’s body and mind.

“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

Psalm 127:2

Is there a way to reach some sort of balance? What if there is a way to be successful in your career and home life, while still setting aside crucial time for rest, relaxation, and recreation? The key to balancing these things is setting boundaries and priorities.

The Bible provides several scriptures that emphasize the importance of rest and the value of taking time to rejuvenate. Let’s look at a few and see how we can learn from them and apply them in our lives.

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In the Beginning

We do not get very far into the Bible before we learn the importance of rest: just two chapters in, to be exact. In the beginning of Genesis, God has created everything in the entire world in just six days. And you thought your work deadlines were brutal! Then, we read this passage:

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Genesis 2:2-3

So, even God, who is all powerful, saw the value in resting after the completion of a big task. If it is important to God to get some rest, something tells me that it should be important to us too. I think He was setting an example for us. God made the seventh day holy, and this brings up the topic of “the Sabbath”. We read about the Sabbath in the Bible but it causes a little bit of confusion in our modern society. The thought of taking a full day off from doing any work at all sounds so foreign to us. Yet, the Jewish leaders had some very strict rules about observing the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11).

There is a lot of debate about what exact day the Sabbath is, whether it be Saturday or Sunday, but that is not really the thing I want to focus on. The main point I want to make here is that the Sabbath is set aside as a time to honor God and recharge.

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Get On Board

Have you ever been so busy at work that you skipped your lunch break? In Mark 6:30-32, Jesus encourages His disciples to get away with Him and get some rest. The disciples had been so busy teaching that they did not even have time to eat! Jesus knew the disciples were doing important work. He could have said to them “Keep it up! Keep engaging the crowd! Work harder! Teach longer!” But He didn’t. He said “…get some rest.”

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”

Mark 6:30-32

I find the solution that Jesus suggests to be so refreshing! They have been busy, they are hungry, they are likely exhausted… and Jesus just says “Come with me…” I think He might be saying the same thing to us at times. We tend to run so hard that we lose sight of Jesus’ directions. If we take a breath and report to Jesus all we have been doing, I wonder if He might meet with us, by ourselves, in a quiet place, just like He did with the disciples.

I love that they went away, just them and Jesus, to a solitary place. My favorite part is that they went in a boat. There is a place I am reminded of when I read this passage. When kayaking and fishing on a local lake, I discovered a small, somewhat hidden cove. I paddled down the narrow opening off the larger lake, curious to see where it led. At the end of the long, narrow stretch, it opened up into a round, cozy section of water surrounded by forest on all three sides. The water was a really unique greenish color and appeared as smooth and still as a sheet of ice. It was so quiet and peaceful back there away from other boaters and visitors. It was like I had escaped to another setting altogether.

I wasn’t the only one who knew about this secret spot, however. One day I paddled all the way across the lake and down the narrow strip back to the cove. Someone had beaten me there. It was a whitetail deer standing on the edge of the bank, drinking from the cool, green water. She had also found this spot to be a place of refreshment, solitude, and peace.

I know from other parts of scripture that the disciples, and Jesus, were involved in a fair amount of fishing. I find it so relatable that Jesus’ solution to burn out was a trip in the boat to get some solitude. Now, I don’t know if they happened to cast a line on this mini-excursion, (or more likely a net, in their case) but I know exactly how they felt pushing off the bank and drifting out onto the water where it was quiet and peaceful.

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Your Soul Needs Rest

We all get to points in our lives where we just need rest. Often it is physical. Our bodies are tired from running around. We try to push through, to keep going, to ignore the signals our aching bodies are sending to our brain, but we cannot keep this up forever. Eventually our bodies will get the physical rest they need. We can either do it voluntarily, or it may come to us against our will in the form of illness or injury. One way or another, though, we will have to take a break.

However, it can run deeper than physical tiredness. Another way we need rest is emotionally. It can be hard to admit when we are overwhelmed. We trick ourselves into thinking that everyone else has it all together and we do not want to appear weak. The reality is, we are all susceptible to burn out and inner turmoil. The everyday stresses of life, the constant pressure to be better than someone else, and the hurts and hang-ups of our past can pull us into a pit of despair. Grief overtakes us and does not want to let go. Mishaps seem to find us wherever we go. We can start to feel like we are dealing with so much that we cannot possibly keep up with our own thoughts. That is when it is time to invest in your spiritual life by getting some rest for your soul.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites all who are tired and burdened to find rest in Him. He says come to me and I will give you rest for your soul! Does that not sound rejuvenating? Jesus offers to take our heavy burdens away. There is no weight so heavy that He cannot carry it. He lifts the yoke off of our shoulders and buries it at the foot of the cross. We can shake off the guilt we are carrying and find rest in our Savior who has already paid the price of our shortcomings. We can live free knowing that He has already won every battle that we are fighting (John 16:33).

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These passages from scripture emphasize the value of rest, both in terms of physical rest and spiritual rejuvenation. They encourage the idea that rest is not only a necessary aspect of life but also a spiritual principle that reflects a trust in God’s provision and care.

What About You?

-What are you needing rest from?

-Do you have a Sabbath?

-What needs to change in your schedule so that you can dedicate time to God?

-What is weighing on you that you would like Jesus to lift off your shoulders?

Let us know in the comments below.

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“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”

Luke 5:16 (NLT)

When life gets too busy, follow the example of Jesus and His disciples: withdraw, go to a quiet place, and get some rest!

8.19.23

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