Several years ago, when I first got involved in ministry, I was passionate about people knowing Jesus. I loved introducing others to Him and helping them grow (as I still am today).
The juggling of trying to meet the endless needs all around me, along with managing work, relationships, education, and the tasks of daily life, was a lot.
It was a challenge that often left me feeling exhausted.
Over time, the joy of life in Jesus became a burden of 'shoulds.” These ‘shoulds’ drove me more to frenetic activity than the fullness of life Jesus promised in John 10:10. The idea of rest, when suggested by others, made me feel uncomfortable, even guilty, when I thought about laying down things that would allow me to actually engage in resting. After all, the world needed Jesus, and I wanted to be a part of the answer. And these were all things in my mind, I had to do.
If I could go back in time and lovingly share with myself how important it is to learn to rest—to intentionally slow down and allow God to replenish my body, soul, and spirit - I would.
As I consider the world we live in today, it’s one that constantly demands our attention. This age of information, technology, and social media added to the countless needs of others around us, and the various commitments of daily life can make finding rest a real struggle. Our minds and hearts are bombarded with distractions and needs that hinder us from experiencing true rest for our bodies and souls. Just as we embrace work and ministry as gifts from God, we must learn to embrace rhythms of grace and a Spirit-led pace that brings life instead of weariness as gifts from God, too.
As we consider what God says about rest, remember that He modeled rest for us from the beginning.
In Genesis 3, we see that on the seventh day, God rested after he created. All over His Word, we see God inviting us as His dearly loved children to find rest for our souls in Him (Psalm 62). And although we are not under the law as God’s people were in the Old Testament, and we are under grace, the wisdom of the law remains. We can embrace rest as a rhythm of grace. We can lay down our work and busyness and entrust them to our good God. We can take space to more deeply abide in Christ and replenish our bodies and souls in and with our Lord.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says,
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
These words of Christ are an invitation to lean into a life of abiding in Jesus and embracing His ways, which differed from the burden the religious leaders laid on people. It’s a life attuned to His Spirit, so we can say yes to the Lord’s invitations and the pace God desires us to go. It’s a life of learning from Jesus how to move away from the tiring self-effort of working for God to a deeply God-dependent place of attuning to His Spirit and working with Him, and in that way, having a “restful doing.”
If we neglect our humanity and reject rest, we become weary or tired mentally, emotionally, physically, relationally, and even spiritually. When we’re exhausted, there are consequences as well.
The juggling of trying to meet the endless needs all around me, along with managing work, relationships, education, and the tasks of daily life, was a lot.
It was a challenge that often left me feeling exhausted.
Over time, the joy of life in Jesus became a burden of 'shoulds.” These ‘shoulds’ drove me more to frenetic activity than the fullness of life Jesus promised in John 10:10. The idea of rest, when suggested by others, made me feel uncomfortable, even guilty, when I thought about laying down things that would allow me to actually engage in resting. After all, the world needed Jesus, and I wanted to be a part of the answer. And these were all things in my mind, I had to do.
If I could go back in time and lovingly share with myself how important it is to learn to rest—to intentionally slow down and allow God to replenish my body, soul, and spirit - I would.
As I consider the world we live in today, it’s one that constantly demands our attention. This age of information, technology, and social media added to the countless needs of others around us, and the various commitments of daily life can make finding rest a real struggle. Our minds and hearts are bombarded with distractions and needs that hinder us from experiencing true rest for our bodies and souls. Just as we embrace work and ministry as gifts from God, we must learn to embrace rhythms of grace and a Spirit-led pace that brings life instead of weariness as gifts from God, too.
As we consider what God says about rest, remember that He modeled rest for us from the beginning.
In Genesis 3, we see that on the seventh day, God rested after he created. All over His Word, we see God inviting us as His dearly loved children to find rest for our souls in Him (Psalm 62). And although we are not under the law as God’s people were in the Old Testament, and we are under grace, the wisdom of the law remains. We can embrace rest as a rhythm of grace. We can lay down our work and busyness and entrust them to our good God. We can take space to more deeply abide in Christ and replenish our bodies and souls in and with our Lord.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says,
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
These words of Christ are an invitation to lean into a life of abiding in Jesus and embracing His ways, which differed from the burden the religious leaders laid on people. It’s a life attuned to His Spirit, so we can say yes to the Lord’s invitations and the pace God desires us to go. It’s a life of learning from Jesus how to move away from the tiring self-effort of working for God to a deeply God-dependent place of attuning to His Spirit and working with Him, and in that way, having a “restful doing.”
If we neglect our humanity and reject rest, we become weary or tired mentally, emotionally, physically, relationally, and even spiritually. When we’re exhausted, there are consequences as well.
Ellen Burany
Leadership Lab International is a disciple makers training ministry of Scripture Union equipping, encouraging, and empowering others to "Go and Make Disciples of all Nations."
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