How can I rest when I have to work?
May 11 - May 17, 2025 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Rest Week 3
I get tired of good Christians telling me to rest.
Don’t you? It’s everywhere, especially now that our culture is leaning into the concept of mental and emotional health more than ever. And that’s good. It’s a good thing to be aware of the toll that overworking and perfectionism take on us.
But as someone who has always carried more than her fair share of responsibilities, I have chafed under the advice to incorporate a Sabbath rest into my lifestyle. How can I rest when I can’t stop? If I stop what I’m doing, no one else will do it. If I don’t complete my projects, someone will have to bear the consequences.
This is true for you if you’re a parent or a boss or a caregiver. You don’t have the luxury to rest the same way that people without your responsibilities can. So does that mean you are exempt? Does that mean God will make an allowance for you? After all, you’re probably working for Him. Why wouldn’t He just sweep your disobedience under the rug?
Personally, I just figured He made me more capable to carry the weight. That He built me in such a way that I didn’t need to rest as much as other people.
Yeah. Spoiler alert: That wasn’t the case at all. It just took me longer to catch on fire, probably because I was running too fast.
It is true that in certain life stages or seasons that you will have less opportunity to rest. But that doesn’t mean you are exempt. That doesn’t mean you don’t need it. And that doesn’t give you permission to ignore it. Disobedience is disobedience.
I don’t mean to be harsh, but what’s true is true even if it hurts our feelings. Rest is a commandment. God expects us to rest. Refusing to do so in favor of our responsibilities, even if our responsibilities are about Him, is disobedience.
And if you value your responsibilities more than your obedience to God, then your responsibilities have become your idol.
But the question remains: How? It’s easy for a single person to say that they are going to rest or take a break. Nobody is depending on them for their next meal. If you are a caregiver, you can’t always put yourself first (even if you know you should). Sometimes it’s just not practically possible. So what do you do?
That’s what we’re going to talk about this week. This is something I’ve struggled with my whole life, and I’m excited to dig into the strategies and the mindset we need to adopt in order to obey God without compromising our responsibilities.
Monday - God will provide extra (Exodus 16:27-30)
Tuesday - Working harder doesn’t mean having more (Psalm 127:2)
Wednesday - The old, Godly Way (Jeremiah 6:16)
Thursday - You do need to sleep (Proverbs 3:24)
Friday - Choose to delight in the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:12-13)
Something to keep in mind, though? None of these lifestyle choices will work for you if you don’t trust God. That’s the step required for each and every one of these truths.
Actually, that’s the entire point of rest to begin with: Trusting God. Rest, Sabbath rest, is about trusting that God will provide for you while you spend intentional time with Him. It’s trusting that He will provide for your family and your loved ones while you prioritize Him above all else.
And since trust is required in order to rest, that’s our memory verse this week, Psalm 37:5.
We can say we trust Him, but until we actively choose to do what He commands, I’m not sure we’re telling the truth. Faith isn’t passive. If you don’t choose to act on your faith, I’m not sure you can say you trust the Lord.
Try it. One step at a time. Commit something to God today and do it. Agree to obey Him in one area of your life and do it. See what happens.
God always blesses obedience. Always. Just give Him the opportunity to show you how much He loves you.
Praying for you this week.
Amy
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