“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,
because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Matthew 9:36

My spirit percolates on the theme of rest because I find myself begging the question:  Where is the balance? We are mortal, and yet how many of us attempt to attain a demigod position, cramming more than humanly possible into the boundary of a 24-hour day? We physically overstock our schedules and fail to keep healthy margins, which inevitably leads to an overdrawn emotional account, leaving one feeling bankrupt and fatigued.

Even Jesus demonstrated his humanity by walking in humility and showing us how to monitor his amount of output with the always-pressing need of the people:  he rested. We, too, face compassion fatigue when we fail to monitor our level of emotional involvement without leveraging the equal importance of rest. “Ministry” to the masses and the needs that circulate and barrage us in every 24-hour allotment simply isn’t sustainable …we must find a sustainable approach to minister to the need.

How do we unpack this further? How do we continue to be compassionate when we are fatigued? There will always be need, always hunger, always want. Jesus walked among the need, and His touch healed many, and His words brought hope and encouragement to multitudes. But did He heal all? Did all let loose their cynicism and doubt and hang on every word He said?

No.

I believe there is a lesson in this example for us. There will always be a need in front of us, just waiting for someone to step in and “save the day.” But Jesus didn’t chase after those who doubted or run down those who didn’t want to be healed. He didn’t defend himself and try to convince his critics of his authority. As we walk with the Lord, we must be able to look at the thing in front of us and say, “Yes, that is a need, but it is not for me to pick up.” Or maybe we are facing a season during which we must lay something down. 

The bottom line is that we must learn to take responsibility for the health of our own soul and learn to rest in Him. Cease wrestling and striving. One aspect of this is to recognize that I am not responsible for the management of others’ perceptions of me. It is not for me to manage others’ perceptions of me. Jesus even modeled this; 1 Peter 2:23 tells us “when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him to judges justly.” Alicia Britt Chole says it like this:  

“We take a step toward emotional health and the strength to shape our space when we choose not to take personal responsibility for someone else’s interior discontentment.”                                                            

The Sacred Slow, p. 186

Am I trying to please God or man? The inverse of this would be:  am I walking in fear of man, or am I walking in a righteous fear of God? If walking in fear of man, the enemy will keep me under his thumb, so to speak. God says to us that we are highly esteemed and gives us peace, exhorts us to be strong:

“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed. Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”

Daniel 10:18

I need to acknowledge my humanity, my vulnerability, my need for rest, and the imperative value in understanding my limitations. Remember, God provided a boundary for His creation for work and for rest, even to the number of hours of daylight we receive. Boundaries are a good thing.

“Good boundaries bring relief to the grief of letting other people’s opinions, issues, desires, and agendas run our life… [do not be] consumed with the grief of others not being pleased with us.”

Lysa Teurkurst Good Boundaries and Goodbyes~

“So I’ll rest right here with you…” I’ll rest with my sadness, with my exhaustion, but with You. It’s okay to be all those things you are feeling right now. Know that you are seen, known, and loved by Your Father. He sees your weariness, your worry, and your wounds. And He beckons you to come to Him.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30