Gotta get some rest

Burn Out

(insert in the heat of the day illustration/boot camp) - Always told to hydrate yourself, but do we slow down long enough to do it sometimes? We can suffer the consequences of it from fatigue to headaches.

What about if your job is one that is demanding, like serving your family, working in a company, working on a farm/ranch, yep, even ministry and all can drain you physically, emotionally and yes spiritually.

Mark 6:30–31 NASB95

30 The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

Mark 6:32 NASB95

32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.

The apostles had just come back from a mission trip, a very successful mission trip at that and Jesus knew what was best, get away and rest a while. Our jobs, and yes being a mom/dad is a job in and of itself, or being a grandparent. We need to replace depleted resources.

DON’T WAIT; HYDRATE

Jesus knew the apostles needed time away, time to rest, time to be hydrated (spiritually speaking) again. We need to not get to the point of dehydration where we are drained physically, emotionally or spiritually.

So how can we hydrate our spirit before it needs it?

TIME AWAY

Before the apostles burned out Jesus planned a time out, a time to rest. So don’t wait until you are burned out, plan time away. Plan time that you can sit and have some quiet time with the Lord. Some time in prayer, some time in the Word.

Martin Luther said “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

Don’t get so caught up in so many things that “should be done” that you miss the important things that “ought” to be done to help you get the things done that should be done.

Notice what it says in (v.31) again

Mark 6:31 NIV

31 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.”

Come away, does not necessarily mean a vacation, i know I have taken vacations that were so busy that I had to come back to work to rest from my vacation. Sure they were fun, but not restful.

Schedule sometime that you set apart to rest, really rest. For me Tabby makes me do it without my laptop and cell phone (she has not made me put my bible away). I don’t do this very well and am trying to commit to doing this better.

Another tip to resting.

DAILY TIME OF REST/RETREATS

Mark 1:35 NASB95

35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

(Insert illustration; front porch, cup of coffee and sunrise)

This is a great time for me to reflect on scripture, to ponder the blessings I have in my life each day. Try not to make this a planning time for the day, but a time of resting in the Lord and allowing Him to fill your spiritual tank up

Don’t wait until you are the in middle of a spiritual desert to fill up, make time daily to hydrate your spirit. - Look at what the Psalmist David had to say

Psalm 63:1 NASB95

1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So make time to retreat and rest in the Lord. He will fill you up.

LIFE GIVING FRIENDSHIPS

Have you had people in your life that all you have to do is be around them and they pick you up and make you feel better? Do you make time for these friendships before you need to be picked up and made feel better?

You know the saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Well we have biblical examples of Jesus and his life-giving friendships. He had the 12, but within the 12 he had the 3 inner circle, then there were Lazarus, Mary and Martha whom Jesus loved to go and hang out there and they provided a place of respite for Him. Life was crazy busy around Jesus but He found quiet in the home of his friends.

Life can be lonely when we don’t have or don’t spend time with the close ones. Don’t wait until you are relationally famished to invest in life-giving; life-filling friendships.

FAMILY

It has once been said that all you have to do for family relationships to erode is nothing.

This is an area I need to work on personally with my siblings. We have slide downhill due to being so busy we don’t make any time for each other except maybe a call or a card on birthday or holiday. But what about immediate family? We need to schedule time with them, a weekend away, a date night, breakfast with kids or grandkids. Invest time before the stresses of today deplete you and takes a toll in your family relationships.

RESTING IN ACTIVITIES?

Do you think you can find hydration in activities, in hobbies? What activities take you away from the business of the day that help you relax and recharge your batteries? Maybe it is going to a rodeo, or playing games with grandkids, how about golf (I think I remember what that was like)? It is not selfish to think about your emotional spiritual health and take time for yourself.

Think about this. You want to give God your best right? You want to do all things in the name of the Lord giving praise to the Father in Heaven through His name, right?

If you are not taking time to rest you are not your best, not in your family, not in your job, not in ministry, not in friendships.

Jesus gave good direction and we need to follow it.

Mark 6:31 NIV

31 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.”

The challenge:

Over next 30 days where can you make time for quiet time with family/close friends?

Where can you find quiet moments to sit, read, ponder on God’s Word, and rest in Him?

Plan a vacation, a time of scheduled rest to re-hydrate yourself. A vacation can be in your own back yard with no phone, no computer, no agenda even.