Rest Is Godly: Why Taking Time to Pause Honors God

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

As we dig into this together, here’s a simple, freeing reminder: Rest is godly—God invites us to pause, trust Him, and find renewal. In a world that runs nonstop, what if our greatest act of worship today is to stop and be still before Him? We’re walking this road with you at Next Level Worship.

A Devotional Thought on Rest

1. Pause: God Rested First
   God set the rhythm. “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested…” (Genesis 2:2-3). If He blessed a day to stop, why do we feel guilty when we do? (Yes, even on the busiest weeks.)

2. Trust: Rest Is Faith, Not Failure
   Rest says, “God, You’re God—and I am not.” Scripture calls us to it: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8). “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Every time we stop, we practice trust over control, being over doing, worship over worry.

3. Be Renewed: Jesus Shows the Way
   Jesus lived a holy rhythm. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). He invited His disciples, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). His invitation still stands: Come and be restored.

Try This Week

• Set aside 30 unrushed minutes with the Lord (phone off). Sit, breathe, and read Matthew 11:28 slowly—twice.
• Take a simple walk and whisper, “You lead; I follow.” Pray Psalm 23:2-3: “He makes me lie down… He restores my soul.”
• Protect one boundary (email, meetings, or texts) as an offering of trust to Him.

Rest is worship, not weakness. “There remains… a Sabbath-rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). Let’s receive it by faith and live for our Audience of One.

Need community and practical tools for sustainable rhythms? Explore our Coaching and upcoming Free Coaching Webinars.

A Short Prayer

Lord Jesus, teach us to pause in Your presence, to trust Your heart, and to receive the renewal only You can give. Quiet our striving. Restore our souls. Help us serve women and men in our churches from overflow, not overwork. We rest in You. Amen.