Finding Pause

I feel like Jesus understands the life and hearts of moms. Of course, He was never a parent Himself, but He sure did perform a lot of mom duties. 

For example, Jesus was in the ministry of raising disciples. Night and day, Jesus rebuked, corrected, and redirected others actions to reflect less of them and more of God. And not unlike moms, Jesus worked long and demanding hours. There was not a corner to be turned without someone needing His grace, healing, and teaching. And because there was such a calling of His time and attention, He too felt weary and drained. 

“Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.” (John 4:6) 

Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus walked a similar path of responsibilities, demands, and tiredness? If there is one thing I’m sure of, it is that Jesus understands your weary heart. 

But, how much do you know Jesus’ heart and His ways? And how much do you use Him as an example for how to live out your days? 

This, I’m afraid, is where many of us (me included) fall short. 

You see, Jesus didn’t just sit in His weariness. He used it as a sign that He needed to step away from His work to get restored. He knew that in order to keep walking out His purpose, He needed to intentionally push pause. 

Isn’t this where we differ from Jesus? 

There have been numerous times when I’ve intentionally not pulled away from the chaos of the day to sit quietly with Jesus. Sadly, I rationalize this time away as time not well spent. And yet, sitting quietly with your Heavenly Father is exactly what Jesus did to get renewed. 

If Jesus couldn’t serve others on empty, then how can we? 

The account of Jesus’ daily ministry serves as the perfect example for how you can renew your worn-out self. While Jesus likely craved a five-day vacation away from the crowds, He never took one. Instead, He refreshed His soul by taking time out of the busyness of His day to hit pause. 

It was during these pauses that Jesus prayed.

“After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.” (Mark 6:46). 

He also sought solitude. 

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35).

And, finally, Jesus paused His day so He could get some much needed rest. 

“Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to [his disciples], ‘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 6:31-32).

Mama, when was the last time you intentionally pushed pause on your day so that you could go to your Heavenly Father to pray, find solitude, and rest? 

If it’s been awhile, I can’t think of a better day to begin! When you follow Jesus’ example for self-care, your soul moves from a place of weariness to a place of renewal. It is my prayer that you learn to fight against the battle in your mind that says self-care does not matter. Instead, trust that Jesus’ steps toward soul-renewal are equally important today as they were 2000 years ago. 

Praying you through,

Angie Nippert | www.angienippert.com