Bendangliba Andrew
(This reflection draws from a message shared on June 22, 2025 during the Sunday Devotional Service at Kohima Ao Baptist Arogo by Rev. Dr. Prof. Mar Pongener, General Secretary of Nagaland Baptist Church Council)
Many in ministry are burned out not because they have stopped loving God but because they have stopped slowing down with Him. Somewhere along the journey, we began to confuse relentless activity with faithfulness and constant busyness with spiritual success. But in Mark 6:31, Jesus interrupts this mindset. He doesn’t say, “Do more.” He says, “Come with me… and get some rest.”
This kind of rest is not a retreat from purpose but it is a return to the presence of the One who called us. It is not the end of the journey but a necessary pause along the way.
In Mark 6:31, Jesus says to His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest a while.” These words were not spoken after failure nor during crisis. The disciples came after they had faithfully gone out to preach, heal and minister in His name. They returned to Jesus having fulfilled the task He gave them and instead of assigning them to do more, He invited them to rest. This rest was not about escaping responsibility nor was it a reward for personal comfort. It was a sacred pause, a moment of spiritual renewal. It was Jesus’ way of showing that He was pleased with what they had done. To “rest for a while” means it is a spiritual refresh that comes when God is pleased with our faithful service.
In today’s world, where success is often measured by constant busyness and visible achievement, Jesus offers a deeper definition. True rest comes when our hearts are aligned with His will, when our service flows from obedience and when our lives reflect His purpose. This write up invites us to rediscover the meaning of such rest, a rest that is not passive or selfish but one that renews the soul, confirms God’s pleasure and prepares us to keep walking faithfully in His calling. Through the lens of Mark 6:30–35, we are invited to examine our motives, our work and our walk with Christ.
1. Rest is Not Retirement- It Is Divine Satisfaction
Jesus did not ask His disciples to rest because they were quitting. He asked them to rest because they had fulfilled the mission He gave them. The rest Jesus offers hereis momentary, a spiritual pause. Today, many believers associate rest only with Sundays or retirement. But biblical rest is much deeper. It is the assurance that what we have done has pleased God. It is not about stepping away from duty but about being refreshed in Christ so we can continue faithfully. We must ask ourselves: Is there anything in our daily walk- in parenting, in our jobs and in our leadership that would cause God to say, “You have done well. Rest for awhile.”
2. Trusting God Over Earthly Security
The disciples went out without any assurance of payment, no houses to return to and no fixed salary. Yet they obeyed because they trusted Jesus. In our modern context, it’s easy to become obsessed with material gain in terms of job promotions, political status, bank balances or establishing a reputation. But Scripture reminds us in Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not merely for people recognition…It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Are we satisfied with what we have trusting God as our provider or are we constantly measuring success by how much we earn? Rest comes not from wealth but from assurance that our work is done in obedience to God.
3. What Drives Us- Praise or Purpose?
It’s possible to do good things for the wrong reasons. If our service whether in church, politics or society is motivated by people’s applause, we will never experience true rest. Our worth becomes tied to performance and we begin to crave recognition more than righteousness. True satisfaction comes when we work for God’s approval. Only thenwe can rest without guilt or burnout. Ask yourself: Am I working for God or for the praise of men? Will God be pleased with how I lead, serve or speak? Is my life a reflection of obedience or is it a performance?
4. Are You Living a Life That Pleases God?
Every believer must evaluate whether their life aligns with God’s will. Have you raised your children in the fear of the Lord? Are you using your influence in politics, business or ministry to honor God? Rest, in this context, becomes a holy pause. It is God’s way of saying, “You have done what I asked. Take a moment to breathe.” There is a difference between being busy and being fruitful. Fruitfulness pleases God. Busyness often pleases people.
5. Refreshing the Inner Life
The purpose of this rest is not simply physical recovery but spiritual renewal. Jesus wanted His disciples to withdraw with Him, away from the noise of the crowds. This rest involved fellowship, reflection and communion. We need this today. Our generation is overstimulated, always online, always rushing and always under pressure. But what we lack is not time, it’s stillness before God. Rest is God’s strategy to revive our spiritual hunger. Without this pause, even good work can become dry and mechanical.
6. Speak and Live as God Desires
Finally, the call is simple yet profound: Live your life in a way that pleases God. Speak words that reflect Christ. Lead and labor in a way that earns God’s approval. When that becomes our aim, rest will not be something we wait for at the end of our life but it will be something we receive along the way. It’s not because we’re done but because God is pleased and says “You have served well. Now rest for awhile.”
Conclusion
Rest is not a luxury. It is a sign of a life that is walking in step with the Savior. Jesus calls us to rest, not when everything is finished, but when we have been faithful. That rest may last a moment or a season but it is meant to renew us for the journey ahead.So today, ask yourself: Am I working to please God or to impress people?Am I living with gratitude, trusting in His provision? The blessing lies not in how much we do but in doing what pleases God. Let us live such that our life, our words and our work echo with obedience. And when the time comes, may we hear Him say: “You have done well. Rest for awhile.”
~ Bendangliba Andrew