10d • 💎
We Must Rest.
Why do I feel guilty when I rest?
Have you ever noticed this?
The moment you slow down, your mind speeds up. You sit on the couch, lie in bed, or take a break and instead of feeling restored, you feel behind. Like you should be doing something else. Like we’ve been taught that rest is only for the weak…
That guilt is common, especially for men who carry responsibility. Providers. Leaders. Builders. Rest starts to feel like weakness and laziness, instead of wisdom.
But, there is the hope.
Rest is not quitting. It is alignment with Gods plan.
Scripture addresses this directly.
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for He grants sleep to those He loves.”
Psalm 127:2 NIV
That word vain matters. It does not mean work is bad. It means striving without trust is. God designed the body and mind with rhythms. When rest is ignored, clarity drops, patience thins, and presence disappears, even if effort and drive stays high.
Here is the reframe we need.
Rest is not the opposite of discipline. It is part of it.
Real life shows this clearly. Training hard but never sleeping well leads to injury and burnout. Working late every night dulls decision making. Being physically present with family but mentally exhausted creates distance. Even Jesus withdrew to quiet places to rest and pray. Not because He was tired of people, but because rest sharpened His obedience.
So, carry this question into today:
Am I resting with trust, or am I running from it?
Here is today’s active stillness challenge.
Take five quiet minutes. No phone. No noise. Sit comfortably or even lie down. Breathe slowly. Ask God one honest question.
“Where are You inviting me to rest?”
Do not resist the answer.
After that stillness, move with intention.
Choose one.
Go to bed thirty minutes earlier tonight.
Or take a ten minute walk with no destination or distractions. Leave the phone behind.
Or sit quietly after dinner, no screen, letting your nervous system settle and just breathe.
Let rest be deliberate, not accidental.
As you finish today, pray this in your own words, following the heart of Jabez.
God, bless me indeed by restoring my strength. Enlarge my capacity by teaching me how to rest well. Let Your hand be with me as I slow down without fear. Keep me from striving that drains me and from guilt that steals peace. Align my work, my rest, and my trust in You. Amen.
This is not about doing less.
It is about resting well so you can live fully.
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We Must Rest.
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