Mark 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
This passage of scripture teaches us the importance of applying the sacred principle of rest in all of our everyday experiences, including those that pertain directly to missionary work, and the spread of the gospel. In the above instance, The Lord Jesus observed that His disciples were in danger of becoming burnt out, because of the incessant round of activities that were incident to the spreading of the gospel. But lest they shorten their lifespan, and consequently the time that they are able to do any good, Jesus then instructed them to take some time out to rest in a quiet place, where they would not be disturbed by the throngs of people who were pressing upon them daily.
It is not the will of God that we should commit any sin in an effort to do good, for the laws of health are as verily the laws of God, and as such, should be observed and applied evenly and consistently, even when the gospel is being presented in various ways and places. Proper planning and execution would make us more efficient in managing our time, so that the twenty four hours given to us each day can include the principle and practice of rest. We do not get extra hours in the day simply because we are doing God's work, and therefore our schedules should be so planned that we can have our zees in a timely and undisturbed manner.
On of the issues many Christians often struggle with is that of interrupted rest, because of our cell phones and electronic gadgets, and many of us are actually addicted to these devices, in so much that they are now allowed to control us, and encroach upon our stipulated periods of restful sleep, so that we are often found lying in bed like jitterbugs, waiting to be agitated and disturbed for any and every reason. This is not the will of God, and even when this is the case on account of the spreading of the gospel, God has not promised to reverse any adverse side effects, if we deliberately continue to rob ourselves of proper rest. Some preachers and Bible workers sometimes come down with colds and fevers just like anyone else, if their resistance is not up to par, and if the habit of restlessness continues over an extended period of time, they can and do succumb to disease and death, just as the natural laws of cause and effect dictate.
In all of our doings, whether they be in the spiritual or temporal realms, let us therefore apply the sacred principle of rest, so that the health and longevity God has promised to the faithful may be our experience, and so that the time in which useful service can be rendered, may be extended. If we acknowledge and seek God in every situation, He will teach us ways and means that we can successfully navigate the "Good" temptations satan often presents to us under the disguise of working for God's kingdom. Regular rest in an undisturbed environment must be included in our schedules, for it was Christ who commanded His disciples to come apart into a quiet place to rest awhile.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which enjoins this principle upon us, and it is the will of God that every law and instruction He has given be applied evenly across the board, for therein is God honored and glorified in our bodies, which are His purchased possession. Let's read:
Psalms 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!