Mark 6:31 – And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”
Are you feeling like things are coming apart? That “the wheels are starting to fall off?” Right now, Americans as a whole and as individuals, are seeing an uptick in anxiety and depression. You see insomnia, and relationships in distress. Physiologically, your blood pressure may be rising. You could even be suffering bone loss without realizing it. Stress can kill, and the human body cannot sustain that level of nervous overload. So says a research psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Crisis fatigue shows up on several levels: One is social, where people collectively just throw up their hands and give up in discouragement. On an individual level, cortisol, an essential hormone for survival, has pumped to an out-of-control level in the body, leading to physical exhaustion, often coupled with extraordinarily high levels of activity. On yet another level, you may be thrown into a situation you’ve never been in before, and wind up confused, disheartened and disoriented. COVID-19, economic downturns, protests in the streets. They all find their place within crisis fatigue.
When situations like these show up in your life, God has an answer for you. “Come away,” he says. “Find a place of quiet.” Then He says, “Rest for a while.” If you will take these messages of His to heart, you will find that you receive a broader perspective, you’ll begin to see from God’s point of view, on the affairs of the day. Take your Bible with you. Read passages that calm you. Listen to sweet music or sing praises to the Lord. Pray. Don’t be in anguish. God is still in control. He’s got this, and He has His Hand on you!
Pray With Us
Dear God, I am so tired. Thank You for Your invitation to “Come away” to a quiet place and to just rest in You. I need that rest, Lord. Please give me Your peace and Your provision. It is a firm comfort to know that You are the Blessed Controller of all things. Even when I don’t see Your hand at work, I know Your heart and have confidence that You are working out Your plans. My trust is in You, O God.
Amen.
