Jesus said to His disciples,
"Come aside by yourselves
to a deserted place and rest a while."
Mark 6:31
A younger pastor asked an older pastor, "How have you avoided 'burn-out' in your ministry? I stay so busy that I believe I could 'burn-out' quite easily." The older pastor said, "Rest is an important part of God's will for our lives. Jesus told His disciples to come aside and rest a while. We need to learn to rest."
The disciples of Jesus were so busy that they didn't have time to eat. He instructed them to go to a place where they could rest a while. Resting is not laziness. Resting is being a good steward of our time and health. Our strength is renewed and our minds are refreshed. Understand that real rest is spiritual in nature. Some people try to sleep, but they don't get real rest. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
In the New Testament, Jesus is our Sabbath. The Sabbath is a word that means rest. Our salvation in Christ means that we rest from our labors and enter into His work as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our works can never earn nor deserve salvation in Christ. His Spirit works through us, according to the everlasting covenant, that we may do what is well pleasing to Him (Hebrews 13:20-21). We rest in Him to work through us. All of life, work and ministry, is done effectively as we rest in Him. Learn to rest in Christ.
Prayer: Father, work through us for Your glory, as we rest in Christ our Lord. Amen.
"Come aside by yourselves
to a deserted place and rest a while."
Mark 6:31
A younger pastor asked an older pastor, "How have you avoided 'burn-out' in your ministry? I stay so busy that I believe I could 'burn-out' quite easily." The older pastor said, "Rest is an important part of God's will for our lives. Jesus told His disciples to come aside and rest a while. We need to learn to rest."
The disciples of Jesus were so busy that they didn't have time to eat. He instructed them to go to a place where they could rest a while. Resting is not laziness. Resting is being a good steward of our time and health. Our strength is renewed and our minds are refreshed. Understand that real rest is spiritual in nature. Some people try to sleep, but they don't get real rest. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
In the New Testament, Jesus is our Sabbath. The Sabbath is a word that means rest. Our salvation in Christ means that we rest from our labors and enter into His work as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our works can never earn nor deserve salvation in Christ. His Spirit works through us, according to the everlasting covenant, that we may do what is well pleasing to Him (Hebrews 13:20-21). We rest in Him to work through us. All of life, work and ministry, is done effectively as we rest in Him. Learn to rest in Christ.
Prayer: Father, work through us for Your glory, as we rest in Christ our Lord. Amen.
