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And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.–Mark 6:31 (ESV)

“Rest is a condition in which the body is in a decreased state of activity without physical or emotional stress, and freedom from anxiety.”[1] As Christians, managing our homes, work and ministry can be quite challenging. With many competing demands, prioritizing activities may become difficult, making it so easy to take up everything all at once. It is not just our bodies that are pushed to the extreme when we impose too much on ourselves; our minds also can get overwhelmed. If this becomes a daily lifestyle, we can expect stress to build up and a vicious cycle to develop. Stress can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, and mood and behavioral problems such as anxiety, outbursts of anger and overeating.[2] That is why it is essential that we make out time to rest in spite of our busy schedule.

Mark chapter 6 kicks off with Jesus and His disciples returning to His home town. Not so long after, on the Sabbath day, He taught in the Synagogue. Scripture tells us, that he then sent forth His disciples in twos to preach and cast out devils. After all this we are told in verse 30&31 –“And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And He said unto them, come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”(KJV) However, Jesus’ response to them after they had narrated all that they had done and taught was to find a secluded place where they could rest for some time.

The actions of Jesus underline the importance of rest. Isaiah 30:15 – “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (ESV) Rest should become a routine. We can start by adopting activities that promote relaxation such as reading our bibles, listening to gospel music and taking a short leisurely walk. As much as possible, we should also observe a break while at work. Some benefits of rest include:[3]

  1. Enhanced body immunity, increased concentration, decreased stress and emotional stability. Rest promotes restoration and rejuvenation.
  2. Sustained bodily recovery. A day or two off per week is required to allow organs time to recover and repair themselves.
  3. Reduced blood pressure.
  4. Proper functioning of the immune system.
  5. Memory, focus, concentration, and cognitive function have been shown to improve with proper sleep and rest.
  6. Rest lowers stress by decreasing abnormal levels of cortisol (stress hormone). This increases alertness, productivity, and general health maintenance.

In closing, I leave you with this quote from Maya Angelou:[4] “Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”

[1] M. Shivanandha Reddy. Sleep and Rest

[2] Kendra Chevy. 5 Surprising Ways That Stress Affects Your Brain. Very Well Mind.

[3] Dr. Les Moore. Six Benefits of Rest

[4] Maya Angelou. Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now