“Then Jesus said, “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.”
I don’t know about you, but fall often feels like a sprint. My planner fills faster than I can flip the pages—school schedules, sports practices, ministry events, family commitments, and the unexpected things that pop up when I already feel maxed out. Some days I catch myself moving from one thing to the next so quickly that I can’t even remember how I got there. It feels like life is on fast-forward while my soul is lagging behind.
Busyness has a way of sneaking in and pretending to be normal. We shrug our shoulders and say, “That’s just life,” but deep down, our hearts know better. Because busyness doesn’t just keep us moving—it numbs us. It covers up our weariness and distracts us from what our souls need most: God’s presence.
“Numbing isn’t the same as resting. Numbing helps us escape. Rest helps us recover.”
Here’s the kicker: when I finally “make time” to rest, I don’t always feel rested. I’ll grab a night on the couch with a show or scroll endlessly on my phone, only to wake up the next day just as depleted. Have you been there? The truth is, numbing isn’t the same as resting. Numbing helps us escape for a moment. Rest helps us recover for the long haul.
And Jesus knew this. That’s why His invitation in Matthew 11:28–30 is so striking:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
He doesn’t say, “Come to me, and I’ll give you more strength to keep hustling.” He says, “I will give you rest.” His rest goes deeper than a nap or a break in the calendar. It’s soul-rest—the kind that reorders our hearts, re-centers our minds, and quiets the chaos within.
Choosing Rest as an Act of Trust
Here’s the hard part: choosing rest means trusting God enough to stop. It’s an act of faith to believe that the world keeps spinning even if we step off the treadmill. Rest says, “God, You’re in control. I don’t have to prove my worth with productivity.”
That’s hard to swallow in a culture that glorifies hustle. But the truth is, when our worth is tied to what we accomplish, we’ll never feel like enough.
This fall, as the calendar heats up and the holiday season starts creeping in, maybe God is inviting us into a different way. A slower, gentler rhythm. A pace of grace.
A Simple Step This Week
Instead of trying to overhaul your whole schedule, start small. Here are two ways you can practice rest this week:
• Trade numbing for presence. Swap out one hour of scrolling or TV for silence, Scripture, or prayer. Even if it feels awkward at first, sit with it. God loves to meet us in the quiet.
• Write yourself a permission slip. Literally. On a sticky note or card, write: “I am allowed to rest because God created me for His rhythm, not the world’s.” Keep it where you’ll see it when guilt creeps in.
Reflection Questions
• Where do you usually run when you’re tired—toward God or toward distraction?
• What’s one area of your life where you’re trying to prove your worth through productivity?
A Prayer for the Weary
Jesus, I am tired. The pace of life feels overwhelming, and I confess I’ve been running to distractions instead of to You. Teach me to trust You enough to stop. Quiet my soul and set my pace to match Your grace. Amen.
✨ Your Turn: What helps you slow down when life feels relentless? Share your rhythms of rest in the comments—I’d love to hear from you. And if this encouraged you, pin it or pass it on to a friend who needs the reminder: rest isn’t indulgent—it’s holy.