So many thoughts have been consuming my mind which has restrained my ability to think clearly. Have you ever been in this scenario? Even as I write I am pushing myself to think of every single word so I can make a coherent sentence. This disturbs me greatly. I am emotionally exhausted and I cannot seem to articulate my thoughts because of this. Seriously, how am I supposed to function? Well I figure a good place to start is seeing how Jesus dealt with it. A good place, I found, to start is the beginning of the book of Mark.
Jesus had spent roughly thirty years of his life prior to making himself known among the people. In the first chapter of Mark many thing happen in a short period. Jesus was baptized by John, then led into the wilderness for 40 days and tempted during that time. After that, he found some unlikely disciples. Following all of that, Jesus spent what most would call a long day.
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. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure 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 impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
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 immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
In other words, if I did this in a day (or a few days), I would be exhausted and emotionally spent.
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. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Please understand, Jesus just spent a long time in prayer prior to these events, He knew what his mission was going into this and yet he already had to go back in prayer and refocus. This is Jesus we are talking about. This is eye opening to me. If Jesus already needs missional clarity after a short period like this, then what does that say about me.
I think it says I am way out of focus, and I need to spend a long time in prayer to refocus. Without continued prayer, the clarity we often need is substituted with confusion.
