Ever since middle school, I found myself stuffing my weeks full. In middle and high school, I would wake

up and go to school by 8:50. Then my mom would pick me up after school and take me to the dance

studio where I would be until 9 pm. Then I would eat a quick snack, shower, go to bed, and do it all again

the next day. Every day, 5 days a week. On Saturdays, I was at the dance studio from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

By Sunday I was exhausted. My family would get up, go to church, and have lunch afterward; and when

we got home, I would immediately take a nap. Sundays were my days of rest. 

Now that I am in college. my days are still full but just look different. Between classes, internships,

extracurriculars, homework, and meetings, I am gone from 8:30 am every day to about 8 pm. The other

day, I got home, and my roommate looked at me and said, “You can't keep constantly going, you have to

find a way/time to rest.” The next day at discipleship I was asked, “How are you finding rest in all of this

going?” That's when I realized rest is necessary -- and it’s not a weakness. 

Jesus instructs us to rest. In Matthew when Jesus is with the disciples, he tells them “Come to me, all

who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Jesus even rested. In one example, Jesus sent His disciples out and after he had taken leave of them, he

went up to the mountain to pray (Mark 6:46). While He wasn’t taking a nap, He was still resting in

prayer. Prayer is a posture of rest. There are many other instances of resting in prayer throughout

Scripture.

Genesis 2:2 tells us: And on the seventh day God finished His work that he had done, and he rested.

My God who created the world and everything in it even demonstrated the importance of rest. 

Rest is not laziness or a sign of weakness. Everyone needs rest and it can look different for everyone.

Rest may look like setting your phone down for a morning, spending time with your family, praying, or

literally laying down and taking a nap. You have to find what fills your soul with rest.

I encourage you to find what posture of rest works best for you and fills you up the most. Pray and go to

Jesus because we know He will give us rest. I'll be the one to say to you today, “Maybe you should take

the night/day and rest.” 

By Raegan Peterson