Some time ago, I asked the women attending a weekend conference where I was speaking to write on a three-by-five-inch card why they had come and what it was they were hoping God would do in their lives through the weekend. "Where does God find you as we start this weekend?" I asked.

Later, as I read the responses to my question, I was amazed at how many of them sounded alike. Here is a sampling:

"I feel I'm out of control sometimes with so many pressures."
"I feel like I'm torn in all directions."
"I need to stop worrying about everything."
"I really am tired."
"I need help with my frazzled, frenzied state."
"My busyness has robbed me of my joy."

Do you relate to any of these feelings? I know I do! How does God intend for us to respond to the crushing demands and pressures of a busy life?

Busy Days

The first chapter of the gospel of Mark gives us a glimpse into a day in the life of the Lord Jesus. We pick up the account in verses 21-22:

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

If you've ever taught a Sunday school class, led a small group, or taught a Bible study, you know that you don't just get up before a group and teach the Word of God with power and effectiveness apart from a lot of time spent in preparation-not just preparation of the notes and the material, but preparation of your heart and life. This was not just a casual effort on His part. He had spent concentrated time with His heavenly Father in preparation. And as He ministered, He was being expended on behalf of others.

But this was just the beginning of Jesus' day-His work was not nearly over. Before He even had a chance to finish His message, there was an interruption in the service:

Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!" "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek (Mark 1:23-26).

Suddenly Jesus is engaged in a battle between heaven and hell. There is a tremendous drain that's a part of being God's servant in these situations. And still His day didn't stop! In fact, as a result of this encounter with the demonized man, the Scripture tells us that "news about [Jesus] spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee" (v. 28). Suddenly, people all over the area wanted Him to heal their sick and cast out their demons.
Whew! Jesus has spent hours giving out and expending Himself for others. Finally He has a chance to get away with His friends, away from all the needy people. He gets to go home, kick up His feet, open up a good book, and relax-maybe even take a nap. Right? Wrong!

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her (vv. 29-30).

Do you relate to any of this? Do you ever feel that there is no time, no place where you can totally escape the demands of other people? If it's not the people at work, it's your spouse; if it's not your spouse, it's your children; if it's not your children, it's a friend or neighbor.

But as we would expect, the serving heart of Jesus comes out, and He makes Himself available to meet the need: "So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them" (v. 31).

Just when it seems that Jesus can finally close the door and settle in for a nice quiet evening alone with his friends: "That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door" (vv. 32-33).

I don't know how many people came to see Jesus that evening, but it sounds like a lot to me! Remember, this is still the same day. He started early that morning teaching, casting out demons, and healing the sick-and now the whole city is lined up at His door wanting help: "And Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons" (v. 34).

How Did He Do It?

How did Jesus do it? How did He stay sane? How did He keep His sense of equilibrium? How did He keep meeting the needs of so many people without falling apart Himself?

We know Jesus was God. But He was also a man-He got tired; He got hungry; He knew what it was to have crowds pressing around Him all the time; He knew what it was to have His privacy invaded. Besides, He was only given three years on this earth to accomplish the whole eternal plan of redemption. Talk about a long "to do" list!

Yet He never seemed hurried, harried, or overwhelmed with all there was to do in a day. He kept right on letting the crowds into His life. He kept on teaching, healing, confronting the powers of hell-and never a cross or impatient word. How did He handle all the stress, strain, and responsibility without "losing it"?

I believe verse 35 gives us the key-not only to Jesus' life, but also to your life and mine, whatever our specific responsibilities and circumstances may be: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up , left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

I don't know about you-but when I've had a long, draining day like the one we just read about, I know exactly what I want to do very early the next morning. Nothing-except sleep!

Now, there's nothing wrong with sleeping when our bodies need it. But Jesus knew there was something He needed that next morning even more desperately than His body needed sleep. He had poured Himself out for countless needy individuals, and His spirit needed to be replenished. He knew it would never happen once the crowd woke up, so what did He do?

He made a choice to say no to His body and yes to His Father. He got up. Then He "left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (v. 35). And He did so none too soon. For it wasn't long before "Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: 'Everyone is looking for you!'" (vv. 36-37).

Why was this morning appointment with His Father so crucial to Jesus' earthly ministry among us? Jesus knew that any power or ability He had to minister to others was due to the fact that He was "one with the Father." He knew it was essential for Him to stay connected to His Father, for that was His Source of life, joy, power, peace, and fruitfulness. He knew He had to walk in union and communion with His Father if He was to know and do His Father's will.

He had no other purpose for being on this earth than to do the will of His Father. So He had no higher priority than to abide in intimate, unbroken fellowship with His Father, so that He might fulfill His Father's will.
For Jesus, time alone with God was not an option. It was not something He tacked on to an overcrowded schedule. It was His lifeline to the Father. It was not something He could do without. It was the highest priority of His life-more important than being with His disciples, more important than preaching the gospel, more important than time with His mother and brothers, more important than responding to the demands and needs of the crowds, more important than anything else.

The gospel of Luke tells us that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16). This is where He discovered the will of God for His life and gained the resources to do battle against Satan-and win. This is where He stepped back from the corruption, clutter, and clamor of life on this earth and was given the ability to see the world from God's point of view. This is where He received grace to love the unlovable and power to do the impossible.

And this is precisely where you and I so often miss out on all that God has for us. Unlike Jesus, we attempt to live life in our own energy. We think we can keep giving out without getting replenished. Then, wearied and weakened by the demands of life and ministry, we become impatient and annoyed with the very ones God has sent us to serve. Rather than exhibiting a gracious, calm, joyous spirit, we become uptight, frazzled, and frenzied, resenting rather than welcoming the people and opportunities God brings into our lives.

Is it really possible for us to manifest the same spirit Jesus did when facing pressure? That all depends on whether we are willing to make the same choice He made, to adopt His number one priority as the number one priority of our lives.

Adapted from A Place of Quiet Rest, copyright © 2000 by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used by permission of Moody Publishers. All rights reserved.