Finding Rest After Intense Ministry

I just completed four weeks of back-to-back events where I taught, trained, and cared for both incoming and seasoned global workers. It required long days and focused attention. My team and I faced many challenges both logistically and relationally. I needed the Lord’s strength to listen, listen again, and offer words of comfort and help. It was intense, it was good, it was right, and I am understandably tired. I can relate to Jesus’s disciples.

After following in Jesus’s footsteps for a year, he sent them two by two out into the towns in Galilee to minster (Mk 6:6–13; Mt 10:1–11:1; Lk 9:1–6). Scripture doesn’t say how long this missionary journey took,* but it must have been intense, constant, and physically demanding. 

Upon their return they gathered around Jesus to debrief, to relate everything that had happened—the wonderful miracles they had seen God do through them as well as the difficultIes and discomforts they had encountered on the journey (Mk 6:30). 

But there were so many people coming and going and vying for their attention that they didn’t even have time to eat so Jesus wisely said, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (Mk 6:31).

The disciples got in a boat and headed to find a remote place where they could be alone with Jesus (Mk 6:32). It was a good plan and it is still recommended for us. But sometimes our good intentions are overruled by the needs of others. 

Many people saw the disciples leaving, anticipated their intended destination, and followed them (Mk 6:33). And so they were met with more demands when they came ashore. But instead of feeling irritated that their plan for rest had evaporated (as I would have), Jesus responded with compassion and put the needs of the people above his own (Mk 6:34).

This crowd turned out to be at least 5,000 people who now found themselves in a remote location unprepared when hunger and thirst set in (Mk 6:35). I can’t imagine how stressful that was for the disciples.

They responded practically (and probably also from exhaustion) and asked Jesus to send the crowd away to get food although I think their primary motive was simply to get a break. Instead Jesus asked the disciples to minister again! “You give them something to eat,” he answered them (Mk 6:36–37) and then proceeded to miraculously multiply their meager supply to feed the crowd (Mk 6:38–44).

When all had been fed, Jesus tried again to address their need for rest. First he put the disciples back into the boat to cross the lake. Then he dismissed the crowd and went into the hills to pray alone (Mk 6:45–46).

In the middle of the night, a storm swept across the lake and Jesus saw the disciples rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. So much for a restful sail across the lake! So Jesus took a stroll out on the water toward them. Of course, they were terrified, thinking he was a ghost. But Jesus reassured them, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” (Mk 6:47–50).

Jesus climbed into the boat and immediately the wind stopped and the boat immediately arrived at their destination (Jn 6:21). The disciples reacted with astonishment as though Jesus had not just fed 5,000 the day before (Mk 6:51–52). But then they worshipped Jesus and acknowledged that he was truly the Son of God (Mt 14:33).**

Once again, Jesus and the disciples were recognized as soon as they got out of the boat and the ministry immediately continued (Mk 6:53–56).

So how did the disciples get the rest they needed? I believe rest was in the precious moments they had with Jesus in the boat, on the way, between events. Renewal came through witnessing his miracles of multiplying bread and calming storms, and seeing him for the God he is. Applying the courage Jesus granted also enabled them to keep serving.

Sometimes our attempts to get rest are thwarted by the enemy, by circumstances, or by other needy people. There will always be more opportunities to keep giving. Taking a break, or resting, or withdrawing from ministry takes intention, a purposeful decision to step away and to trust that God will take care of others’ needs while we take care of our own. 

Even if you only have a moment to stop and catch your breath before moving onto the next season of ministry, be with Jesus “in the boat,” listen to his voice, let him calm the storm, allow him to multiply your meager efforts. Marvel at his greatness and power as he works through you. Let that strengthen you to keep going. He goes with you into the next season, as he went with the disciples. And he is the one who heals and teaches and changes lives.

Get rest if you can! Even it looks differently than you planned. Even if the conditions aren’t perfect. Even if it’s only “on the boat” with Jesus.

For those times you can get more than a snippet of rest, here are some ways you might recuperate after a season of intense ministry:

• Journal or write out prayers, expressing your exhaustion, and releasing the events and the people into God’s care.
• Do life-giving and creative activities. Get out into nature, take walks, paint pictures, or do your favorite hobby. 
• Catch-up on the chores you’ve had to set aside, such as laundry, house cleaning, emails, shopping, or repair projects. 
• Keep a list of pending responsibilities as they come to mind so that you can forget them for now and come back to them when your break is over.
• Process the events with a friend, a pastor, or a spiritual director—someone who will simply listen, rejoice with you in the successes, and cry with you about the “failures.” Evaluate what went well and what didn’t. What do you want to repeat? What do you want to change? What was out of your control? Examine your attitude and reactions throughout the event. If you made a mistake, apologize and try to make it right. If you are not able to rectify anything, talk it through and then let it go.
• Release the results and the people into God’s hands. Let him decide which words stick, which takeaways are acted upon, and which words fall to the ground. He is the one who works, we are simply the vessels.

How do you relate to the disciples?

How can you get away to a quiet place and get some rest?

*The Chosen movie series seems to imply it was around 4–6 months.

**See Mt 14:22–33 for Peter’s involvement in this event.