“If you don’t come apart and rest, you will come apart.” - Vance Havner 

I’m an introvert by nature and my husband is the exact opposite. I love spending time with people, talking, teaching, listening, and serving. But afterward, my brain hurts. I need to be alone to rest and recharge. My husband is recharged by his interactions with people. His extroverted personality doesn’t lend itself to the same need to be alone to rest. 

When I read about the times Jesus went away by himself to pray, I can relate to what he must have been feeling. It makes me wonder if he was also an introvert at heart.  

In particular, there are two places in the Gospels where the writers recount Jesus’ desire to be alone. In Mark 6:31-32, Jesus attempts to get away from the crowds and pray, but the needs of the people take precedent. In Matthew 14: 22-23, Jesus dismisses the crowd and his disciples so he can go up the mountain to pray, but once again, an urgent need for help on the Sea of Galilee interrupts his alone time with the Father.

These two Gospel accounts reveal that rest was elusive, even for our Lord. They also show that He intentionally pursued it, something we would do well to remember. We need rest to stay physically and spiritually healthy, but those of us in ministry tend to ignore that need. Compassion, the urgency of the moment, the weight of responsibility, and just the desire we all have to minister, command all of our physical and spiritual resources. 

If we aren’t careful to attend to our need for rest, we become exhausted, irritated, physically spent, and mentally drained. We open ourselves up to interpersonal conflict, languishing in ministry, and even burnout. 

Jesus saw the need to spend time with the Father, pray, rest, and prepare for what he knew lay ahead. Why should we be any different? It’s difficult, and there are a million things that will keep us occupied, and like Jesus, sometimes we accept the interruptions. But also, like Jesus, we can continue to seek the rest that keeps us healthy. So whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, commit to follow His example.