Rest Was Supposed to Be Easy. No One Warned Me It Would Feel Like Losing Control.

Rest exposed what hustle was hiding — and it led me back to the presence of God in ways I wasn’t expecting.

Nov 20, 2025

Real Life…

Rest has never come naturally to me.

Not the kind where you grab a nap or zone out on the couch, but the kind where you slow down long enough to actually feel what’s happening in your soul. The kind where you stop striving, stop performing, and stop proving.

Every time God whispers “slow down,” something inside me pushes back:

What if I fall behind?
What if I miss something important?
What if everyone else keeps moving while I rest?
What if stopping costs me?

Rest has always felt less like a gift and more like a risk.

A little while ago, I had one of those honest, uncomfortable moments where God shows you what you haven’t been willing to slow down long enough to see.

I realized that my resistance to rest wasn’t just about being busy.
It wasn’t about being a new mom or having a full plate.
It wasn’t even about productivity.

It was about trust.

When I sat still long enough to actually pay attention, I could see the deeper fears underneath my pace — fear of not doing enough, fear of losing momentum, fear of being forgotten, fear of disappointing people, fear of letting go of control.

I began to see that my constant motion was less about purpose and more about protection.
Movement felt safer than stillness.
Hustle felt safer than honesty.
Busy felt safer than being vulnerable with myself or with God.

It wasn’t a dramatic revelation, but a gentle realization:

My pace had been keeping me from the very restoration my soul needed.

Rest wasn’t just a wellness practice.
It was a spiritual one.
It was obedience.
It was surrender.
It was holiness.

The Pivot…

God began to re-teach me something I thought I already understood.

Rest isn’t what you do after you finish the work.
Rest is where God forms you to do the work.

Acts 3 reminded me of that truth.
Peter calls the people to repent so that times of refreshment can come from the presence of the Lord.

Repentance opens the door to refreshment.
Refreshment leads to restoration.
Restoration shapes us into holiness.

But you can’t repent if you never slow down enough to see what’s going on inside.
You can’t be restored if you’re always performing.
You can’t grow in holiness if you live distracted and depleted.

Rest isn’t passive.
It’s where God does His deepest work.

What God Showed Me…

As I prayed, this is what I sensed Him say:

Rest is restorative.
Rest is obedience.
Rest is trust.
Rest is surrender.

Then it went even deeper.

“When you work from a place of rest, you align your heart, your will, and your creativity with Mine. ‘Hustle harder’ is a trap — it clouds judgment, feeds ego, and clogs creativity. Soul rest looks like stepping away from your own work long enough to notice the work I’m doing around you and through you. Rest pulls you out of comparison and brings you into contentment. Rest was My idea, and it’s a rhythm I want you to return to often.”

God isn’t slowing you down because He’s withholding something.
He’s slowing you down because He’s preparing you for something.

A New Way to Rest…

Here’s how I’ve started reframing rest in my own life:

Rest is reflection.

Taking time to remember who God is and how He’s shown up in your story.

Rest is surrender.

Letting go of control. Trusting God’s timing over your own.

Rest is receiving.

Choosing to let God be your provider instead of exhausting yourself trying to provide for yourself.

Rest is pacing.

A steady, intentional rhythm that keeps you grounded instead of rushed.

Rest is preparation.

God can’t fill your cup if you’re constantly running with it.

Rest isn’t stepping away from your purpose.
Rest is what strengthens you for it.

Scriptures to Stand On When You Don’t Know How to Rest…

Use these verses as anchors when stopping feels risky and trust feels hard:

Hebrews 4:9–11 says there is a special rest waiting for the people of God.
It also says to make every effort to enter it.

In other words, rest is not optional.
It’s sacred.
It’s part of spiritual maturity.

Reflect…

Is my pace keeping me from hearing God clearly?
What fear rises up in me when God invites me to slow down?
Where have I confused striving with faithfulness?
What would it look like to work from rest instead of working for rest?
Where is God nudging me to pause so He can restore me?

P.S.

I’d love to hear your story. Was there a moment when God invited you to slow down — even when it felt uncomfortable? What made that moment feel safe enough for you to finally breathe?

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