Are you worn out and need a break from a hectic schedule? Do you need some time to rejuvenate and replenish in the midst of a difficult season of life? Last week I could answer yes to both of those questions.

I didn’t take a vacation last year or get away for a time of relaxation and rest. (I don’t describe leading a mission trip or going to a conference as venues for rest. I enjoyed them, but they were not vacation.) So I knew this summer I needed to get away and take a break. But as a caregiver for an aging parent, it’s hard to get away.

Jesus knew the importance of taking a break and resting. He told the disciples after they had returned from ministering to the multitudes, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). And they obeyed. They went away in a boat to a secluded place by themselves, away from the pull on their lives from the multitudes.

This week I am finally taking a break. Thanks to a generous couple in my church, I am able to spend the week in their condo on the beach with two good friends. The beach is my favorite place to go for vacation. It enables me to rest, slow down, think, replenish. I can sit for hours and watch the waves roll in or go for a leisurely stroll on the beach. We’ve had some great talks at night sitting out on the balcony overlooking the ocean. There’s something about the beach that draws me closer to my Savior. And as this week is about to draw to a close, I will leave here refreshed.

Perhaps you’re worn out and need some time to get away and slow down. What can you do that would enable you to draw away and rest a while? If Jesus recognized the need for rest, so should we.