“And immediately (Jesus) made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side of Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the multitude away. And after bidding them farewell, He departed to the mountain to pray.” – Mark 6:45-46
Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. It’s a mind-boggling concept that we’ll probably never fully understand this side of Heaven, but it means that while being fully God, Jesus fully experienced everything we do. He experienced hunger and thirst, betrayal and pain, stress and exhaustion – every temptation we face. So how did He cope? He spent time with His Heavenly Father.
We’ve all known exhaustion and stress. For those regularly serving in ministry, the incredible emotional, spiritual and intellectual drain of trying to meet the endless needs and demands of people can be overwhelming. Often as the ministry grows, so does the need. Jesus’ experience was no different. As Jesus’ ministry took off, He faced incredible demands at every turn. It was extremely stressful and exhausting. Jesus needed time with His Heavenly Father more than ever before. Jesus needed the Father to recharge, refresh and revitalize Him for another day.
We may not be leading a demanding ministry like Jesus, but we all face similar seasons of intense stress, overwhelming need and physical exhaustion. We run out of gas – out of power. Couldn’t we all stand to be recharged, refreshed and revitalized by the Creator of the Universe?
If you’re feeling burnout spiritually, follow Jesus’ example and go to God. Carve out some time today and really invest in time with God. Ask Him to equip, refresh and strengthen you to face each day.
