What I’ve Learned about Rest
Sometimes we can get caught in the cycle of busy. We can get caught up in doing rather than being. Our minds can be in a million places other than where we currently are. We wear busyness like a badge of honor. There were seasons that if I wasn't running from one thing to the next, if my calendar wasn't full, if I didn't fall into bed completely drained at the end of the day… I didn't feel like I was doing enough.
Sound familiar?
But God has a way of slowing us down to show us something better. And over time, I've learned that rest isn't a sign of weakness or laziness—it's a sign of wisdom. It's spiritual. It's sacred. And it's necessary.
Here's what I've learned about rest…
Rest is not a reward, it's a rhythm.
When I first started learning about Sabbath and the Biblical principle of rest, I thought of it as something I would get to do once I'd checked off everything on my list. I would work hard enough, and then I could rest. But that's not how God designed it.
In Genesis, rest was built into the rhythm of creation, not as an afterthought, but as part of the divine order. On the seventh day, God rested. And He didn't do it because He was tired. He did it to set a rhythm—a rhythm we've been invited to enter into.
Rest isn't something you “earn”—it's something you practice. Busyness isn't proof of purpose.
One of the greatest lies we believe is that a full schedule equals a full life. But friend, full doesn't always mean fruitful. I had to learn the difference between movement and progress. Some of us are addicted to busy—not because we're productive—but because we're trying to prove something. Our worth. Our value. Our significance.
But God never called us to hustle our way into His presence. He says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Stillness reveals something striving never can: peace. You can't pour from an empty soul. I've had seasons where I gave and gave and gave until I had nothing left. My body was exhausted, my mind was scattered, and my spirit was dry.
Here's the thing: even good things—ministry, motherhood, leadership—can drain you if you're not refilling. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). That verse isn't just a pretty quote—it's an invitation. One I've learned to accept more often. Because I want to love and lead from a place of overflow, not depletion.
Rest is resistance.
Rest pushes back against the pressure to always be on, always be available, always be achieving. It's counter-cultural.
Taking time to rest says:
“I trust God more than I trust my hustle.”
“I believe He can do more in my surrender than I can do in my striving.”
That's powerful. That's faith. In a world that glorifies grind, choosing rest is radical. If Jesus rested, why do we feel guilty doing it? One of the most freeing things I've realized is that Jesus, the Son of God, regularly withdrew from the crowds. He went away to quiet places. He took naps in boats. He stepped back from people who needed Him to spend time with His Father. If He needed that… how much more do we?
We're not stronger than Jesus, and we're not meant to live constantly drained. Following His example means honoring our limits and trusting that rest is not abandonment—it's alignment.
So here's where I land:
Rest doesn't mean I'm lazy. I rest because I'm loved. I rest because I'm a daughter, not just a doer. I rest because I want to be present, not just productive.
I rest because I want to lead well, live well, and love well. And that requires margin. Stillness. Quiet. Sabbath.
You don't have to earn rest—you were created for it.
If you're tired, friend, I want to remind you today:
God's not asking you to do more.
He's asking you to trust more.
Let go of the pressure and pick up His peace.
Let Him restore your soul.
Let Him renew your mind.
Let Him remind you that you are more than what you do.
Questions to reflect on:
What keeps you from truly resting?
How can you create space for stillness in your week?
What might God be trying to speak to you in the quiet?
You were made for more than burnout! You were made to abide!