Thou Shalt Rest – 20 Bible Verses About Resting
by Sacha Rose
Do you know what I love to do after a long, busy week? To just unwind, kick my feet up, and watch a movie. Life seems to be pretty hectic nowadays, especially with everything that has been going on over the last few years. And I am finding that time seems to be going by faster than it used to.
I tend to get so stuck into this mindset that I have to rush things “because I am running out of time.” I feel the need to plan out my day, hour by hour, just to fit everything in. By the end of it all, I find myself feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and in need of a big rest period.
But when can I rest? I feel like there are so many days out of the week when I don’t have enough time to slow down and put my feet up.
I am sharing this with you because I have come to a point in my life where I know I truly need to slow down and get out of this “must rush” mindset; it may even encourage you to do the same.
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Rest in the Bible
Have you ever heard of the saying, “haste makes waste?” It basically means that if you are doing things too quickly, you are going to make mistakes, and it can cause a lot of problems. I bring this up because it is super important for us to be patient and take our time with things. Not only that, it is also important to give ourselves a chance to rest.
But why? Our source of answers and truth is the Bible, so what does the Bible say about rest?
Day of Rest in the Bible
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about rest is when God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day, He rested.
“And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” – Genesis 2:2-3 (KJV).
God created the sabbath day for us to rest and not work. It is a chance to slow down and unwind after a busy week of working for The Lord.
“Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” – Leviticus 23: 3 (KJV).
I know that when times are tough, we may feel as though we need to work harder, do more, or fill up our time with every little thing that needs to get done. Sometimes, though, we really need to focus on what is most important — having a rest, especially resting in Christ.
It is also important to know that the devil wants to do everything he can to discourage us and pull us away from the presence of the Lord. One of the things he does is distract us or keep us busy so that we are not focusing on who truly matters – which is Jesus.
{Related – 5 Sneaky Schemes of the Devil}
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” – Colossians 3:2 (KJV).
Scriptures About Rest
There are some wonderful scriptures in the Bible that talk about rest. Here are a couple of general Bible verses about it.
“And he said, ‘My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest'” – Exodus 33:14 (KJV)
“Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.” – Exodus 34:21 (KJV)
Bible Verses About Resting in God
When Jesus came to Earth, He fulfilled the Law. One of the components of the Law that He fulfilled was the sabbath. In Matthew 12:8, we see that Jesus is Lord of the sabbath; we can celebrate the sabbath any day by resting in Him, as He rested in God.
Here are some examples in the Bible about Jesus resting in and spending time alone with God.
- Jesus liked to find a quiet spot away from others to pray to God (Mark 1:35, 6:46, Luke 5:16, Matthew 26:36-46).
- Jesus took time to rest (Matthew 8:23-24; Mark 6:31-32).
- Jesus took some time alone to grieve over the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:13).
- Jesus spent time alone with God (Matthew 4:1-11).
“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” – Psalm 37:7 (KJV)
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10 (KJV).
“‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'” – Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)
Verses About Peace and Rest
There have been many times when I have felt so anxious before bed and unsure of whether or not I would get enough sleep at night. It isn’t the most fun to have anxiety leading up to bedtime and causing you to stay up late at night because your mind won’t shut off.
I am so thankful that God always hears and answers our prayers in His perfect timing. Even the smallest of things. Whenever I am filled with anxiety, especially before bed, I read Psalms and pray to God to help me have a peaceful sleep – and the Lord provides, my friend! Thank you, God!
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8 (KJV)
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” – Psalm 91:1 (KJV)
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” – Psalm 23:1-3 (KJV)
What Does Rest Mean in The Bible?
Now that we’ve seen some scriptures about rest, let’s come to some conclusions about what rest means in the Bible.
Rest can be seen in the Bible in a few different ways.
- Rest is a physical form of slowing down, unwinding, and relaxing from work and other labors, giving our bodies a chance to recover and regain energy.
- Rest is a way to slow down and relax from any kind of mental exhaustion, such as fear, anxiety, and the stresses of everyday life.
- Rest is also spiritual – a way to connect to God by participating in the same rest that He did on the sabbath, the 7th day after He created the world and everything in it.
“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” – Hebrews 4:10-11 (KJV)
Resting in God is Important!
At the end of the day, find time to unwind and rest in God. God doesn’t want to see you overwhelmed or burnt out. He enjoys watching over you and seeing all of the wonderful choices that you make to honor and glorify Him each day. Resting in the Lord honors Him by intentionally slowing down and creating a space where you let the Holy Spirit rejuvenate you in His presence.
The devil wants you to be broken down, burnt out, and distracted by the busy days and restless nights. He will do everything that he can to try to derail you from being in the presence of the Lord and renewed by the Holy Spirit. But don’t let him win this important battle!
It’s easy to feel guilty for taking the time to chill out, but there is nothing wrong with rest and relaxation. After all, God did create the sabbath day to rest, and Jesus is Lord of the sabbath. He has allowed us to find complete spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional rest in Him. What a wonderful thing that the Lord has made! Praise God!
He provides us with all our needs. He knows the desires of our hearts. God knows what is and isn’t best for us. Trust Him always. Understand that it is so important for us to take rest and make sure that we do so each day, and each week, despite the hurried pace of life today.
Will you commit to taking the time to rest in the Lord on a regular basis? Comment below and let us know!
Sacha is the owner/creator of Clothed With Dignity Co. which is a Christian blog and apparel store encouraging women to draw closer to God in contentment and godliness through His word. Check out the Clothed with Dignity blog to gain access to the free resources library!
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