The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Mark 6:30-31
Sometimes life can get really hectic. I know that over the last few months I’ve found myself under great pressure at work. Sometimes it gets to the point where I feel like I have a million and one things to do – meetings to attend, presentations to deliver, lessons to prepare, marking to be done, reports to write, colleagues to observe. Sometimes in the midst of all that, even though it doesn’t always seem like a good idea at the time, I just have to get away – just for a couple of hours. I like to sit in a café with a cup of coffee and a good book or copy of that day’s paper. It might seem like wasted time when I have so much to do, but I feel so much better after a bit of down time, and can be so much more productive.
It’s good to see in this verse that Jesus whole-heartedly endorses these crafty breaks. The last time we saw the disciples, they were sent out to heal and teach. Now, here they are, returning to Jesus after what has clearly been a very busy period for them. All they wanted to do was stop, rest for a bit and having something to eat, but they felt that they had to keep going because so many people were making demands on their time. Jesus simply calls them aside, however, and takes them out into a solitary place to get some rest before continuing their mission. He knew that if the disciples were to perform at their very best, it was crucial that they were able to have some down time before continuing with their work.
Remember that as you get super busy at school or work. Jesus recognizes the importance of rest and relaxation. When you find yourself getting stressed, just take a few minutes out to distress. You’ll feel so much better when you return to work, and will be so much more productive.