Why Bold Rest Requires More Courage Than Hustle

More Than a Nap

In a world that rewards hustle and glorifies busyness, choosing rest is a bold move. Not just sleep—but deep, soul-level rest. A rest that requires trust, surrender, and grace. This isn’t just about taking a nap or going on vacation. It’s about being brave enough to stop, let go of control, and listen.

The Invitation to Rest  

“Be still and know that I am God.”
This is more than a comforting scripture—it’s an invitation to intimacy. God is calling us away from distractions and into His presence. He doesn’t need our productivity; He desires our hearts.

But to be still? That takes courage. Because when we’re still, we begin to hear. And often, what we hear are the things we’ve been trying to drown out with noise—our fears, insecurities, guilt, shame. That’s where grace steps in.

Grace for the Journey  

Grace with our bodies.
Grace with our emotions.
Grace for where we are and what we feel.

We’re often so hard on ourselves, thinking we need to earn rest or don’t deserve help. But God doesn’t keep score. He freely gives. Rest means learning to receive. To let go of guilt. To stop measuring our worth by what we do.

True rest requires receiving, not giving.

Rest is about letting others help, even when we feel we should be strong. Like Moses with Aaron holding up his arms—sometimes rest means accepting that we need support. That we are not limitless.

Letting Go of Who You Thought You Should Be 

One of the greatest lies we believe is that our identity is tied to our productivity. That our value is in what we do. But what happens when we stop?

We discover who God created us to be—not who the world expects us to be.

This season is one of refining. Of letting go. Of trusting God’s timing, plans, and purpose. Not ours. Rest is obedience. It’s believing that God can do more with our stillness than we ever could with our striving.

Preparation for Rest  

Sometimes, rest requires preparation.

•  Physically: Like Elijah, sometimes you need to eat and sleep before you can even hear from God.
•  Emotionally: Letting go of control, expectations, guilt, and shame.
•  Spiritually: Spending time in the Word. Sitting with God in silence.
•  Financially: Creating margin to not hustle every hour.

These things aren't easy. They take intentionality. Small choices every day to unplug, slow down, and prioritize stillness over stimulation.

Rest as a Path to Greater Things  

Why does rest matter? Because it's essential for growth.

Nature rests in winter before bearing the fruit of spring. It’s not dead—it’s preparing. You might be in a season that feels like winter, like the wilderness. But God often does His best work in the middle, in the unsettled, in the silence.

When we rest:

•  We reconnect with ourselves, our families, our calling.
•  We stop living at the mercy of the urgent and start living in alignment with the eternal.
•  We hear God clearly.
•  We prepare for the next thing.

The world won’t break if you rest. But it will break you if you don’t.

Practical Rest: How to Begin  

Rest isn’t just an abstract spiritual idea. It’s also deeply practical. It begins with the little things:

•  Choosing to put down your phone.
•  Saying no when the world demands yes.
•  Taking walks in nature without distraction.
•  Letting someone help you.
•  Sitting in silence, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Nature has always been a sanctuary for me. It healed parts of me I didn’t know needed healing. Time in nature became time with God. Simple. Quiet. Powerful.

Even my workouts changed. I used to chase intensity, spiking cortisol in the name of fitness. But God showed me that even in movement, I needed grace. I needed to slow down and care for myself differently.

Something Greater  

This journey of rest—this blog, this message—is the culmination of everything God has been showing me. Every story, every season of burnout, every moment of striving led to this truth:

You were never meant to do it all. You were meant to trust.

God isn’t asking for your performance. He’s asking for your presence.

He is inviting you to something greater—but first, He’s inviting you to rest.

Will you trust Him?