Ahhhh…summer. The beautiful weather is an invitation to slow our pace and remember that margin in our lives is a beautiful thing. But learning the rhythm of rest is not so easy in our modern culture.
The intense hustle of the past month took a bit of a toll on me and was a vivid reminder that I need to create space for rest.
Learning to Slow Down
The thing is, life does not always slow down, and if you are like me, there is a temptation to keep adding things. I am not sure why I am wired that way other than to say as a mom, it is easy to become a “do-er” more than a “be-er.”
Ok, that is not a real word, but you get the point.
This fresh season of empty nesting is an opportunity to find rest, and yet it is hard to rest. I feel I should be doing something all the time.
Recently, my youngest daughter and I made an agreement that we both need to S-L-O-W D-O-W-N. We realized that our modus operandi is “I will do it real quick.”
But I don’t picture Jesus rushing. I wrote about this in my book Make Up Your Mind in the chapter on the Hurried Mindset, and remember weeping as I wrote it.
Learning to Cease Rushing
I don’t want to rush anymore. But it really takes awareness of this temptation to rush and the intentionality to refuse it.
It can be easy to treat rest as something we earn after we’ve completed our work. But Scripture presents a different picture.
God built rest into creation itself.
Before sin entered the world, before exhaustion and burnout became part of the human experience, God established a rhythm of work and rest.
Learning How to Rest
The Sabbath wasn’t given because people were weak. It was given because people were human. But more than that, it is a sign to those around us of God’s work in our lives.
“Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you. 14 Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you…17 It is a sign forever between me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:13–17).
Sabbath Is a Gift
The Sabbath was far more than a day off. It was a sign of Israel’s identity and belonging. By resting, God’s people demonstrated that their security was not found in constant labor but in their relationship with Him. Sabbath reminded them—and reminds us—that God is the One who sustains, provides, and consecrates His people.
It’s funny to think about, but the way we try to avoid the Sabbath rest makes it seem as if rest was a bad thing. But a Sabbath rest is more than just chilling. It is seeking God, being aware of His presence, choosing to stop the hurried pace, pausing to acknowledge Him, and being refueled for what He wants us to do next.
The Sabbath is Still for God’s People
We might be tempted to think the Sabbath is just for the Israelites, but the Sabbath is built into the 10 commandments (The 4th commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
So what does this look like today? First, it is not a legalistic measure. It is a delight. Our salvation is called a Sabbath rest.
The author of Hebrews reminds us, “There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His” (Hebrews 4:9–10). While believers may differ on how they observe a weekly Sabbath, the deeper invitation remains the same: to cease striving and trust fully in the finished work of Christ.
Christ is Our Sabbath Rest
We trust Christ for our salvation, and we can trust Him that making pockets of rest does not mean we will fall behind. It might actually be what helps us to persevere in this life.
Choosing to spend one day being a little more restful in a given week can also have a profound effect.
In practice, modern Sabbath observance might involve intentional rest on a chosen day, limiting work and technology use, prioritizing worship or spiritual practices, and creating space for family and renewal—though the specific form remains flexible depending on your theological convictions and life circumstances.
Learning the Rhythm of Rest
As we seek to develop a rhythm of rest, a Sabbath day can help reset our lives so we don’t stray or make idols of things in creation.
Faithfulness does not mean constant activity. Sometimes it looks like pausing long enough to connect more deeply with God.
Our inability to rest can reveal something deeper than a busy schedule.
It might reveal a struggle to trust God. Because rest requires surrender.
Rest reminds us that our worth is not measured by our productivity. Things can be left undone. Ugh…I know this is hard.
Perhaps that is why Jesus extended this invitation:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Notice that Jesus does not offer a strategy. He offers Himself.
The deepest rest is not found in a vacation, a nap, or a slower calendar.
It is found in the presence of Christ.
Friend, maybe this summer God is inviting you to establish a new rhythm.
Not a rhythm driven by pressure, fueled by fear of falling behind. But a rhythm rooted in trust.
A rhythm that creates space to hear His voice and remember that you are a beloved child before you are a worker, leader, parent, spouse, or ministry servant.
And perhaps the most faithful thing you can do this week is not accomplish more.
Perhaps it is simply to rest.
Scripture Reflection:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” — Psalm 23:2–3
God is not only interested in what we accomplish. He is interested in the condition of our souls. The Good Shepherd leads us not only into purpose, but also into places of restoration.
Reflection Questions:
- Where am I tempted to find my worth in productivity?
- What keeps me from resting?
- How might God be inviting me to slow down this summer?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You that Your love for us is not based on what we accomplish. Teach us to embrace the rhythms You designed and to trust You enough to rest. Restore our weary hearts, quiet our anxious minds, and remind us that our greatest need is not more activity, but more of You. Amen.
Visit the ShameRX Blog for When Your Child’s Struggles Feel Like Your Failure.
All for Jesus,
Denise