Mark 6:31: And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
Some of the ingredients I 've found helpful to "rest" while you're busy in ministry:
~A grace-oriented daily devotional (like His Victorious Indwelling, N. Harrison)
~Personal Bible reading plan that is primarily for my fellowship with the Lord instead of sermon preparation. (See Grace Note; Balanced Diet Reading Plan.)
~Resolve overt and covert anger/frustration. This engages stressful circumstances to drain us emotionally and mentally. God's radical solution: full surrender to Him and abiding in Christ. (See Grace Notes: Defusing Anger, Transforming Irritations - www.GraceNotebook.com/ Grace Notes / Search)
~Finding a peaceful place. You may feel like there's no quiet place; find one somewhere. I've used the local library as a secondary office. Put cell on vibrate and answer calls together when ready.
~Listen to praise music (headphones) at the end of the day to unwind, refresh, and re-focus. Your dreams will be more positive.
When I came across Steven Covey's material years ago, I noticed biblical principles involved (tho he's a Mormon). For example, The "7th habit" has to do with the wisdom of budgeting time and resources for personal rest, intellectual growth and--most of all-devotional refreshment. Here's a summary of Covey's version: https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit7.php
May the Lord give us wisdom to apply the "sabbath" principle in a way that is personal and practical.
Psalm 116:7: "Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you."
- John Woodward
