What Does the Bible Say About Rest?
- Heather Erdmann
- 54 minutes ago
- 5 min read
I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve just been so tired—physically, mentally, and emotionally. My prayers have been laments to God about being worn out and weary.
As I was praying recently, I felt His call to pull away from the noise and distractions and spend more focused time in His presence through His Word, prayer, and praise. It was a balm to my soul that left me refreshed and renewed. Before my time alone with Him, I was overwhelmed and exhausted from life’s endless responsibilities.
Yet, as I was praying and thinking about how I had no energy to write this month’s article, I glanced at my scheduled list of writing topics and saw that my next one was “What Does the Bible Say About Rest?” It made me smile, knowing God knew exactly what I needed and when I would need it. I hope and pray that it is exactly what you need, too. May you find encouragement and hope as we explore the Biblical importance of rest… for our bodies, minds, and souls.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
6 Things the Bible Says About Rest
Did you know that we are estimated to work 70,000+ hours in our lifetime? That does not even consider time spent in exercise, household chores, yard work, or caring for others.
Knowing how much time we spend actively working, it is no wonder we need time for rest. Like our cell phone, which requires regular recharging to keep doing what it was created to do, we also need time to refuel and restore our bodies, minds, and souls.
Have you ever considered that our need for rest is not only practical, but spiritual as well?
So, just what does the Bible say about rest?
1.) We Rest Because God Rested
When God created the world in six days, He dedicated the seventh day as a Sabbath rest. Of course, God did not need to rest physically like we do because His strength and power are limitless. But the fact that He specifically designated a day to rest shows us the profound need for it. Not only is it a physical rest from our labors, but spiritually it is a sign of the covenant between God and His people as they set aside one day each week to be wholly dedicated to Him:
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.” (Exodus 20-8:10a)
2.) We Rest to Restore our Bodies
If we are working 70,000+ hours in our lifetime, it is obvious why we need regular physical rest. Every night, the Lord gives us the gift of sleep to recharge our strength and repair our bodies.
It promotes:
immune function
heart health
weight control
improved mood and memory
reduced stress and inflammation
Lack of sleep is detrimental to all aspects of our lives, including:
relationships
work
health
behavior
attitude
learning
It also increases our risk for:
infections
accidents
obesity
chronic health problems
God’s design for rest and sleep is profoundly practical. Yet, the physical picture of restoration it provides leads to even more significant spiritual implications as well!
3.) Rest Gives Us a Fresh Start
Another benefit of nightly sleep is that it gives us a new beginning each day with a chance to start fresh. It reminds us of our transformed life in Christ when we come to Him in faith. The Bible tells us His mercies are “new every morning” (see Lamentations 3:22-23).
In the Old Testament, the Lord instituted various Sabbath rests for His people and even for the land, which we now know is important, so the soil can replenish vital nutrients to support the growth of crops. This gave both the people and the land a fresh start to be productive in their work.
4.) Rest Isn’t Just for Bedtime
But rest isn’t always just about sleep or bodily renewal. Jesus refreshes our spirits throughout the day when we come to Him in prayer and His Word. He comforts us and gives us relief from our worries and cares. Our hearts and minds can know true rest when we turn our eyes on Him and away from our circumstances. This is where we can find rest and peace amid trials and troubles that only He can give:
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)
5.) We Rest in God’s Grace
Even more important than rest from physical and emotional toil is the rest we have from “working our way to Heaven” when we come to Jesus by grace through faith. By completing the work of our salvation on the cross, He took the burden from us and carried it Himself. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” before He died, He provided us with the rest of knowing we no longer have to strive to please God or earn our heavenly reward. All other religions involve “work” on our part to be saved. Yet through Jesus, we have rest in knowing we are at peace with God through Him:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
6.) We Have an Eternal Rest
This brings us to the ultimate picture of rest: eternity in Heaven with Him. The Sabbath that God designed from the beginning of creation pointed to this reality. Not only can we rest physically, emotionally, and mentally here on Earth, but we will rest spiritually for all eternity with Him through the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible paints this beautiful picture for us:
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:9-10)
So, the Biblical importance of rest is physically practical and spiritually significant.
God gives us rest for:
our bodies through sleep
our hearts and minds through quiet time with Him
our souls through the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf
If we are in Christ, one day we will rest from our labors here and enter an eternal peace with Him in Heaven. Are you resting in the finished work of Jesus alone for your salvation?
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