How To Find Rest

May 1st, 2025
by Randy Phillips

My dad loved people who moved with purpose.
He used to say, “You can tell by a person’s gait if they’re intentional about life.”
He celebrated hustle. Drive. Getting things done.

But rest?
Not so much.

And honestly, he’s not alone. Many of us live like rest is a luxury we might get to enjoy after we cross everything off our list. But in God’s economy, rest isn’t a reward. It’s a command. A gift. An invitation into something deeper.

Let’s explore how to embrace God’s rhythm of rest — especially when life is anything but restful.

The Illusion of “Once I Get Through This Week…”

There’s a meme that says, “After this week, I’ll rest.”
You laugh, because you’ve said it. Probably last week.

But here’s the truth: busy seasons never really end — they just evolve. Whether it’s work stress, family demands, church commitments, or unexpected curveballs, something always fills the space.

The finish line keeps moving.

We chase peace like it’s on the other side of one more email, one more errand, one more thing done. But Psalm 23 doesn’t say we find green pastures. It says He makes us lie down in them. He leads us beside quiet waters.
He restores our soul.

God doesn’t wait for us to finish our lists before offering peace. He brings peace right into the chaos.

Reflection: What would it look like to stop chasing rest and start receiving it?

Rest is an Act of Trust

Choosing to rest in a busy season isn’t laziness — it’s faith.

It’s saying, “God, I trust You to hold things together even when I stop.”
It’s believing the world doesn’t revolve around our efforts — it revolves around His sovereignty.

In Exodus 16, God gave the Israelites manna with a clear instruction: gather enough for six days, rest on the seventh. Those who hoarded out of fear found rotten leftovers. Why? Because fear resists rest. Faith embraces it.

Truth to remember: When we stop striving, we discover the sweetness of God's provision.

And we begin to participate in what author Hugh Whelchel calls “reweaving shalom.”
Shalom isn’t just peace — it’s wholeness. It’s what was broken in Eden, and what Jesus came to restore. And He’s still restoring it, even now.

4 Practical Ways to Embrace Rest

Rest doesn’t mean abandoning your responsibilities. It means building rhythms of peace right into your everyday life. Here are some ways to start:

1. Begin and End Your Day With God
Before the day demands your attention, give your attention to God. Just five quiet minutes in Scripture or prayer can reframe your whole mindset. End your day with gratitude. Let His presence bookend your busy.

2. Protect Small Sabbaths
Can’t take a whole day off? That’s okay. Try blocking off a few hours a week to unplug. Take a slow walk. Nap without guilt. Worship with no agenda. These mini-rests refresh more than we realize.

3. Say No With Courage
Sometimes rest requires disappointing others. Even Jesus stepped away from the crowds to pray. If He could say no, so can you. Protecting your peace is not selfish — it’s spiritual obedience.

4. Trust God’s Timing
You might not see results right away, but rest is productive in the kingdom of God. Some of the deepest growth happens in silence, stillness, and surrender.

Practice: Which one of these rhythms could you try this week?

Rest Produces Fruit

Jesus didn’t say, “Hustle for me and you’ll bear fruit.”
He said, “Abide in me… and you will bear much fruit.” (John 15:5)

Abiding means resting. Remaining. Staying connected to the Vine.
Fruitfulness is the result — not the goal.

So don’t wait for life to calm down before you find peace.
Peace is available now. Not in the finishing, but in the abiding.
Not when the chaos ends, but right in the middle of it — with the One who holds it all together.

Encouragement: Come to Him, tired one. Lay it all down. He’s not asking you to do more. He’s inviting you to rest in what He’s already done.

Final Word

Rest isn’t for the weak. It’s for the wise.
It’s not a backup plan — it’s God’s original design.
And it’s waiting for you.

Take a deep breath. Let go. And let God restore what your hustle never could.

Posted in Spiritual Growth
Posted in rest, jesus, sabbath, hustle