Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

Mark 6:31-32

We all treasure the miracles of Jesus in the Bible. We love to read about His birth, the cross, and His resurrection. But rarely do we focus our attention on the times Jesus rested or the times He commanded His disciples to rest. He understood the importance of rest.

Our culture has forgotten what it means to rest. Somewhere in the middle of our striving and competing, we changed the meaning of “rest” to mean “lazy”. Most of us, if we take an hour, or even an entire day to rest, we feel guilty. We convince ourselves that we’re wasting time because the constantly-on-the-go world in which we live tells us to strive. But Jesus knows that in order to hear from Him, sometimes we must stop. While we are running and rushing and achieving, He just wants us to slow down and listen. 

Rest doesn’t look like sleeping late, ignoring chores, or scrolling social media. Rest looks like sitting quietly and focusing your heart and your mind on Jesus. It means rearranging your priorities and recharging your soul. It means handing over the pressures and stresses you wear each day to the Savior whose burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). 

Set aside time to rest, away from the busyness of life. Regroup, recharge, and be fed. Then, when you jump back into your busyness, you can take a little more of Jesus with you. You are loved! 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28