Rest and Obedience

Rest is something I struggle with.

Not the sleep kind — but the kind where you choose not to produce, not to create, not to check something off a list.

Rest makes me feel unproductive.
And if I’m honest, a little guilty.

My mind immediately starts whispering:
You could be painting.
You could be at the studio.
There are projects waiting.
There’s a gallery to edit.
There’s always more to do.

And today? All of that was true.

I could have painted — I have canvases waiting.
I could have gone to the studio — projects need attention.
I could have worked on the house — the list is long.
I could have edited — work that matters.

But instead, I stayed in my pajamas.
I sat at the table.
And I worked on a puzzle.

Not because I had nothing else to do…
but because I needed my brain to turn off.
I needed quiet.
I needed rest.

And here’s the humbling truth God keeps pressing into my heart: rest isn’t optional — it’s obedient.

“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.”
— Genesis 2:2

God rested.

Not because He was tired.
Not because He ran out of strength.
But because rest is part of how He designed life to work.

When I refuse to rest, I’m quietly saying, “I don’t have time for what God says is necessary.”
And sometimes, if I’m really honest, “Everything depends on me.”

That’s not dedication.
That’s pride.

Rest reminds me that I am not the Savior.
Rest reminds me that God is still working even when I stop.

Sabbath isn’t about doing nothing — it’s about trusting God enough to stop doing everything.

And I think part of why rest feels so hard is because we’ve been taught to worship busy.

As business owners, busy is the badge of honor.
Full calendars mean success.
Packed schedules mean we’ve “made it.”
If we aren’t constantly producing, creating, going — are we even relevant?

The same is true for moms.
If we aren’t driving, picking up, showing up, running to practice, doing all the things — it can feel like we’re missing the mark.

And even in our faith, we quietly measure ourselves the same way.
If we aren’t at every church event, every Bible study, every service — surely we aren’t doing it right.

Somewhere along the way, busy became the proof that we’re winning at life.

And I am so guilty of this.

I want my clients and my audience to see how much I do.
How much I go.
How full my calendar is.

Because busy looks impressive.
It looks like I’m on top of my game.
Like I’ve arrived.
Like others should get on board because clearly… I’m winning.

But honestly — for what?

Who am I trying to impress?

I used to boast about 35 sessions in a month.
I wore exhaustion like a trophy.
I confused burnout with success.

And now I’m realizing something that feels both freeing and confronting:

Resting well is far more admirable than running myself into the ground.

Choosing Sabbath in a world that applauds hustle is countercultural.
It’s quiet.
It’s unseen.
It doesn’t photograph well.

But it looks a lot like trust.

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28

Jesus doesn’t say, “Come when everything is finished.”
He says, “Come when you’re weary.”

Rest strips away the illusion of control.
It reminds me that my worth isn’t tied to my output.
That my business won’t fall apart if I slow down.
That God is not impressed by my busyness — but He is honored by my obedience.

Today, my act of faith looked like puzzle pieces instead of productivity.
Pajamas instead of plans.
Stillness instead of striving.

And I needed it more than I realized.

Reflection:
What if rest isn’t a reward for finishing everything…
but an invitation to trust God in the middle of it?

Maybe the holiest thing you can do today…
is stop.