Making a Fresh Start

“…Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” — Mark 6:31b, NIV

They say, “Out of sight, Out of mind.”

And then again, it is also said, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

It’s been a minute, but I pray that the latter of the two quotes is true in this incident.

So, you may be wondering what happened. Well, nothing in particular. I think I just needed a break — time to refresh, reset, and rejuvenate.

You see, everyone, at one time or another, needs rest. Take Jesus and the Disciples, for example.

In Mark 6:30–32, the scriptures tell us that the Disciples returned to Jesus after being out ministering. When they reached him, they shared with Him all they had done and taught. However, so many people were coming and going around them that they did not have a chance to eat. So, in response, Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” “So, they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:32)

Jesus realized the importance of rest, a discipline we sometimes find hard to do. We allow the busyness of life to overwhelm us, and when our capacity reaches overload, we lose our drive to do anything. But that’s not exactly how the Father planned it to be. The model we are to follow is set in order in Genesis — The Book of Beginnings.

Genesis 2:2 says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” (NIV)

What if we followed God’s example?

It could be like working a shift in the hospital as a nurse. We could do six days on and one day off. But for this behavior change to be effective, we must be consistent and committed to the new lifestyle.

Yes, old habits can be hard to break, but going forward, I will do my best to guard my one day off.

“As important as it is to have a plan for doing work, it is perhaps more important to have a plan for rest, relaxation, self-care, and sleep.” ― Akiroq Brost

With pleasure, I say, “Join me next week for more Coffee on The Couch.