The Gift of Rest

By Amanda Kelsch

Charleston, West Virginia - USA

Scriptures: 

• Matthew 11:28-30
• Genesis 2:2-3
• Isaiah 30:15

My son learned to swim long before learning to float. In swim lessons, he responded well to incentives, praise, and the conquering of every challenge. Then one day, motivated by fear of going under water, he paddled his arms and legs at full throttle to propel himself across the pool.

The concept of floating was much harder to grasp. His muscles would tense, he would begin to sink, and frantically he would try to seize control again. The idea of lying on his back and doing nothing but relaxing was impossible, even terrifying. He could not trust the buoyancy of the water to support him. He wanted to trust in his own ability. 

This difficulty reminds me of my own relationship with God. My life is so often characterized by goals, striving, accomplishments, results. I am always looking and moving forward, feeling the need to make measured, consistent, visible progress. What would it look like for me to stop and float?

Rest implies stillness. Quiet. Allowing myself to see, to hear, to feel, with no agenda. Accomplishing nothing but appreciating everything. Having no tangible product to point to for feelings of self-worth. Looking not to what I have made but to the Maker of everything.  

There’s no way around it: rest takes time. God created our bodies in a way that approximately one-third of each day needs to be devoted to sleep. How did he create our souls? Why do I act as though I have the spiritual stamina to muscle through life with no time for refreshment? 

Throughout the Scriptures, we see God urging and commanding His people to stop struggling and rest in Him. Since the institution of the Sabbath, God set aside days, weeks, even certain years, to be dedicated to a cessation of work that would refresh the people and the land. His people were to set aside tasks and remember who gave them the life they were frantically attempting to navigate. 

Time and again, God has allowed His people to be in situations that, by all human logic, were insurmountable so they would find their sanctuary in Him. Often, they turned to their own devices instead. When faced with uncertainty and danger, the Israelites chose an alliance with Assyria over waiting on God’s promises. Isaiah prophesied, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it’” (Isaiah 30:15). They rejected God’s gift. 

When I turn to my own strength and put my security in what I produce, I also dismiss the very salvation that I need. More times than I care to admit, I have become swamped with obligations and responsibilities to the point that all I can verbalize in my prayer to God is the statement that “I’m drowning.” I need a lifeline, but I’m afraid to release any of the activities I’m holding in my grasp. 

When it comes to swimming, struggling does not save us. If someone is caught in a rip current, the advice is to “go with the flow” and let the waves take them to calmer waters. The biggest danger in rescuing someone who is drowning is that in their panic, they will pull their rescuer under as well. To be rescued, we must let go of control. Likewise, to find refuge in this life, the Lord tells us, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). 

Of all the gifts God offers, rest may be the most difficult for me to accept. I must deny my nature that wants to labor: the prideful insecurity that says I have something to prove, the guilt that nags at me that I’m being lazy, the people-pleasing nature that has said yes to so many requests that I have no margin of time left. I also have to say no to the part of myself that wants to fill any gap with distraction instead of engaging my heart and mind to focus on God. Rest is not necessarily found in recreational activities or even relaxation. I can turn to pleasures that offer a temporary reprieve but pale in comparison to what God is offering, just as the Israelites found temporary security in their unholy treaties. Rest should refresh, reenergize, and renew. Rest reinvigorates us to continue our lives of serving God.

How does God feel when I cast His present aside, as if it were not well-thought-out? My lack of appreciation communicates, “Nice gesture, but it’s not really for me. Not my taste. Maybe I’ll regift it. I’m sure someone else would appreciate this, but He doesn’t really understand what I need and how much I have to get done.”

In reality, God’s gift of rest speaks volumes about His knowledge of us and care for us. The best gifts are those that reveal that you have been so considered and are so known, your needs or wants have been anticipated, and you’ve been given something you otherwise would not have gotten for yourself. God wants the best for us. We are made in His image, and if He allowed Himself to rest (Genesis 2:2-3), we clearly need it also. He knows how we are knit together – our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual needs and limitations.

The most encouraging part is that God just wants me, not the results of my labors, not proof that I really do love Him in the form of tangible outcomes or my own depletion. He wants me to find rejuvenation, comfort, solace, and a safe haven in Him. 

John Piper writes, “God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him.”

This Christmas season, accept God’s gift of rest and find your satisfaction in Him. Imagine Mary, exhausted from travel and labor and less than ideal circumstances in which to become a mother, but ready to stare in adoration at the Messiah and treasure all of it in her heart. I’m willing to bet she rested well the night of Jesus’ birth, and God was glorified. 

Questions for Reflection: 

1. Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). What has made you weary? What are your current burdens? What would it look like for you to allow your soul to rest in God? 

2. Do you resist accepting God’s gift of rest? Why or why not?

3. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon observes, “I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is futility… One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:4-6, NASB). In what ways might envy and rivalry be robbing you of your rest? What other motives drive you to rely on performance and productivity?

4. What beauty are you missing out on around you by not allowing yourself to slow down? 

Today I Will: 

Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word that captures the mood of contentment evoked by a cozy atmosphere. Consider the sights, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations that put you at ease. Find or create a spot for yourself that gives you that “hygge” feeling and spend an hour there doing something that fulfills your personal need for restful connection with God.

About the Author:

In her 26 years as a Christian, Amanda has been on two church plantings and served in a variety of roles with her husband, Nick. They are presently lay leaders in the Kanawha Valley Church in Charleston, West Virginia. Amanda is a homeschool mom with three amazing children, works as an English instructor at a local college, and is nearing the completion of her doctorate in Humanities. She has authored four devotional workbooks: Journey through John, People-Pleaser, Complaciente con la Gente, and Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength.