It’s Summertime, Take a Break!
“Have you ever felt like a goldfish swimming around in a blender full of water – with someone’s finger on the ‘high’ switch? Many of us are altogether too busy, running on overdrive, overextended in our schedules and underdeveloped in our souls. Instead of green pastures and still waters, we’re accustomed to clogged freeways and blaring cell phones.”1
David Jeremiah said this. Do you agree with him? I do, and so would Jesus, or so it seems.
According to Matthew 14:13, Jesus took time out of his busy ministry schedule to get away from the crowds of people and the demands of work and ministry. “He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself.” It appears that he did this on a recurring basis (Luke 4:42). It also appears that he incorporated prayer into these times of going away (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16).
Beyond this personal habit, it appears that Jesus encouraged his disciples to follow his lead by stepping away for periods of rest and refreshment (Mark 6:31-32). “He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.” On this occasion, the disciples had become so busy “coming and going” that they didn’t even have time to rest, refresh, or eat! That is what David Jeremiah is talking about.
The fruitful Christian life demands hard work, busy work and a lot of “coming and going” (Col 1:9 1 Tim 4:10). You cannot fulfill God’s will without these things. Yet it is also true that the fruitful Christian life requires you to rest in Christ within your spirit, depending upon him for the strength you need to labor and minister (Matt 11:28-30, Psa 37:7). In addition to this spiritual rest, the fruitful Christian life requires periods of getting away from the work altogether. During these times you should focus on rest, refreshment, nourishment and prayer, and you should focus on strengthening the relationships that are most important. There is something wrong and dangerous about perpetual ministry that never takes a break, a significant, meaningful break – not a rushed one.
There is something wrong and dangerous about perpetual ministry that never takes a break.
I am thankful for a professor in college who frequently said, “When you study, really study; and when you take a break, really take a break.” This was terrific advice! The Lord Jesus practiced this in his earthly ministry, and he encourages you to do the same. Do you follow his example and instructions?
Thomas Overmiller serves as pastor for Faith Baptist Church in Corona, NY and blogs at Shepherd Thoughts. This article first appeared at Shepherd Thoughts, used here with permission.
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- Cited from Morning and Evening Devotions: Holy Moments in the Presence of God, by David Jeremiah [↩]