The World Says Hustle, But God Says Rest: Biblical Reminders About Rest

We are taught from a young age that work is important. For example, kids are often asked what they want to be when they grow up, what kind of work they want to do. It’s instilled in us that work is a crucial part of life that we have to study and plan for…

Yes, work is important, but so is rest.

In Mark 6, the Bible tells us that after healing and teaching people in the name of Christ, “the apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour.” (Mark 6:30). Once they had told Him all that they did, Jesus was very clear with what they were to do next:

“Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.'” (Mark 6:31)

Rest is a theme throughout the Bible, and if we look for it, we’ll see it woven across different stories. In fact, rest is a command God gave us in Exodus chapter 20 when He described the Sabbath.

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.” (Exodus 20:8-10)

God’s instructions couldn’t be any more clear – rest is needed, holy, and we should dedicate it to Him. But if we look at the next verse in this chapter, the command is reinforced even further by reminding us that God Himself rested, too:

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day He rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” (Exodus 20:11)

The disciples rested, Jesus rested on Earth, God rested when He made the universe, so we should do the same.

Sometimes, we can get so caught up in the cycle of working, that we forget to implement this important practice in our lives, or we feel guilty when we do. If that’s you, take a deep breath, eliminate that guilt, and remember that Jesus encouraged us to rest.

Wondering how to rest the way God intended? This quote from Billy Graham can help get you started:

“God knows we need rest, and one of the reasons He established the Sabbath was to give us rest…But God’s plan also was to use the Sabbath to turn our hearts and minds toward Him. In other words, He wants us to set aside one day of the week as a special time of worship and reflection on God’s Word.” – Billy Graham