Why Rest Matters for Your Soul - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - April 30, 2026
"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest'" (Mark 6:31).
Rest is something I have been trying to learn as I often work until I'm burned out. Despite knowing rest is important, I often neglect this discipline. Rest is a discipline because, in a way, it is. It is hard for most of us to take time off to rest and do things we enjoy rather than work.
With the non-stop flow of work responsibilities and side jobs, it is hard for us to take time to rest. It is also hard not to feel guilty for resting. In the fast-paced world we live in, where productivity is treated as a god, it is hard for us to sit back and be still. If we do try to rest, guilt gnaws at our bones until we start back at the task or the project we have been working on.
Rest is important, and we need to start taking time to rest more often. Just as athletes need rest days, so do we. This will help our minds reboot and give a boost to our creativity. As someone who works in content creation, I must not let my creativity suffer simply because I am not taking time to recharge. Your job may also call for creativity, yet your work has been suffering due to a lack of rest.
If this is so, give yourself permission to cut back on your work, or even take a break altogether, so you have time to recharge and reboot. If you avoid doing this, your work and creativity will struggle. We all need to take time to rest, recharge, and do the things we enjoy. Once we start doing this, we will be able to master a life-work balance.
It is important to remember that we are not robots, created to do endless tasks. Rather, we are humans who have been made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). God wants us to take time for rest, and this does not only include physical rest, such as sleep. He also wants us to take time for emotional rest. Emotional rest looks like sitting at His feet in prayer, presenting our requests to Him, and reading the Bible.
Resting in Jesus
When the Lord and His disciples were too busy to take time to rest or even eat, He told them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31b). The Lord had seen the constant work they did throughout the day, and He wanted to give them rest. In the same way, He wants to give us rest.
When the Lord tells us to come with Him to a quiet place to get rest, He means we should spend time with Him in prayer, meditation, and dependence on Him. Through prayer, we will be able to meet with Him in the quiet and safety of our own homes. By going to Him, He will give our hearts rest. We never need to doubt the goodness of the Lord or the rest He will provide to us.
What do you need to rest from today? Is it a few job responsibilities or a difficult relationship? Bring all of these matters to the foot of the cross and rest in His presence. Jesus is good, and He can be trusted with any circumstance you are facing. Bring all your burdens, cast Him at His feet, and He will give you rest (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 5:7).
Rest is important and something we do not need to ignore. The more we neglect our rest, the weaker we will become. Instead of being happy and joyful, we will be worried and stressed. Take some time this week to truly rest and rejuvenate. Your mind, body, and soul will thank you.
"Dear Jesus, I have been neglecting my rest for a long time. Please help me start prioritizing rest and not see it as a negative thing. I know you want me to take time to rest and to recharge. Help me develop the spiritual discipline of rest and improve it over time. I'm choosing to sit at Your feet today, Jesus. Thank You, Lord. Amen."
Photo credit: © Getty Images/iprogressman
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