Come with me…to a quiet place and get some rest. —Mark 6:31

I was always a dedicated student, but in the last two years, I crossed over from dedicated to consumed. Due to the unpredictable and arduous nature of my major, I experienced what one could best describe as living in a permanent state of fight or flight. My studies included an internship, which was constant exhaustion. When my aunt invited me to the weekend retreat that she had organized, my default response was, “There’s no way I would give up one of my only free weekends.” Not to mention, it was my birthday weekend. But deep within me, I knew I needed to work on my spiritual health. So, very last-minute, I decided to go.

Like other retreats I had been on, I enjoyed getting away and leaning into the Word. But nothing could have prepared me for the next activity. After dinner, it was announced that we would be having a silent exercise, during which we could not talk to each other for several hours. Rather, we should take that time to read the Bible and commune with God.

I was not exactly thrilled by this idea. I am usually very talkative and outspoken when prompted, so I knew that, for me, it would be a challenge. However, I took the time to read and walk the grounds. The breeze rustled and rocked the leaves of the palm trees, the birds sang sweet songs, and I was granted the one thing I needed but hadn’t had in a long time: peace. I wasn’t thinking about school. I wasn’t thinking about all the things I had to do at home, church, etc. I was able to just sit with the Lord and gain clarity from His Word on what He wanted to speak into my life.

I say all this to emphasize how important it is to rest in the Lord. To not only carve out the time to do so, but also to get rid of distractions and just spend quiet time with God. In Mark 6:31, Jesus tells His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” I love this verse because it shows that Jesus Himself recognized the importance of stepping away from the busyness of life, and ministry, and spending intentional time in solitude.

That prolonged silence gave me the opportunity to hear what I had been too distracted to notice. I realized how badly I needed to slow down and how easy it is to become so consumed with the responsibilities of life that our relationship with God becomes low-priority. Something we try to fit into whatever time is left over.

Resting in the Lord is not wasting time. It is not being lazy. Sometimes, resting means intentionally stepping away from the noise and giving yourself the opportunity to remember who God is and what He is doing in your life. That weekend taught me that I don't always need to have something on my schedule. I don't always need to be “productive.” Sometimes, I simply need to sit with the Lord, open His Word, and allow Him to bring peace and clarity to the places in my life that have become overwhelming.

So, if you're anything like me and many people I know—super busy and constantly on the go—I encourage you to take time to rest and spend quality time with the Lord.

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