When I’m weary

Estimated Reading time: 6 minutes · Written by Mel Lynch

God can take any mess and choreograph it for beauty. I'm sure we've all got testimonies of that in our lives, of things that have just gone so wrong. But God has made beauty out of them. It doesn't depend on us, depends on him. Mark Buchanan wrote a book called The Rest of God, and he says,

“Unless we trust God's sovereignty, we don't dare risk Sabbath. And unless we receive time as abundance and gift, not as ration and burden, we'll never develop a capacity to savour Sabbath.”

I tend to fill my schedule to the brim, trying to make the most of every moment. This doesn't leave much room for rest. So, as I dusted off books I had acquired over the years but never read, I found myself asking God, "Who am I to speak on this?" If you feel overwhelmed by busyness, you are not alone—we are on this journey together.

The modern misconception of rest

Our culture often associates rest with laziness. When we take time to be still, it can feel like we are being idle or unproductive. This mindset is deeply ingrained. When someone asks how we are, we either say we are fine (because we are British) or we say we are busy, as if that is a badge of honour. But is busyness truly something to be proud of?

The Chinese character for "busyness" is a pictograph, consisting of two symbols: one for "heart" and one for "killing." This resonated deeply with me—busyness, quite literally, kills our hearts. We are fragile, and yet we often act as if we are invincible.

Life is a spinning teacup ride

As a child, I remember going to a seaside town with my mum and being captivated by a spinning teacup ride. The people on it looked so joyful, so I begged her to let me go on. Reluctantly, she agreed. But as soon as the ride started moving, I realised I had made a terrible mistake. The initial excitement gave way to sheer horror, and I had to signal for the operator to stop the ride. The embarrassment of getting off while others watched was awful.

God brought this memory back to me because life can often feel like that spinning teacup ride. We are meant to enjoy it, but sometimes it moves so fast that we become overwhelmed. Responsibilities weigh us down, and we just want to step off the relentless treadmill of life.

The noise of the world

Our world is noisier than ever, both externally and internally. Bernie Kraus, a sound engineer, records natural soundscapes for films and museums. In 1968, it took him 15 hours of recording to obtain one hour of uninterrupted natural sound. Today, it takes over 2,000 hours. Noise is everywhere—if not from the outside world, then from the endless dialogue in our minds.

So how do we escape? How do we find rest? The truth is, hurry is not God’s design for us. John Mark Comer, in his book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, emphasises the need to deliberately remove hurry from our lives. God created us with a rhythm of work and rest. It is not a rule to be followed but an invitation to a life aligned with His design.

God’s pattern of work and rest

Rest is not an afterthought—it is a divine principle. In Psalm 46, we are reminded to "be still and know that I am God." Often, in our distraction and busyness, we miss the rest that God invites us into. Rest is as essential as food and water. When work and life become burdensome, our instinct is to escape—to live for the weekend, only to crash. But that is not true rest.

Even the American word "vacation" originates from "vacate"—to empty ourselves. But God does not call us to simply vacate; He calls us to be filled with His rest.

Trusting God with our time

Sabbath rest is rooted in trust. The theologian Lucy Peppiatt says that "Sabbath is rooted in knowing and loving God, and is at its heart about trust." When we trust God, we no longer feel the need to control every aspect of our time. True rest is an act of faith, an acknowledgment that God is ultimately in control.

Jesus invites us into this rest. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." This is not a command; it is a gracious invitation.

Resting despite circumstances

Jesus’ disciples experienced this kind of rest. In Mark 6, after a season of exhausting ministry, Jesus told them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." They tried to do so, but the crowds followed them. Think about how tired and hungry the disciples must have felt. Yet, instead of frustration, Jesus miraculously fed the five thousand. This was a different type of rest—there were 12 baskets of food leftover, one for each disciple. John Piper summarises the message found in those baskets, “When you give everything you have away, you will be taken care of.” It’s about trust.

Similarly, the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, and God commanded them to observe the Sabbath as a sign of their freedom. Slaves do not get to rest—but the free do. Sabbath is a declaration that we are no longer slaves to work, to expectations, or to the pressures of the world—and we can trust in God to provide for us.

Practicing rest in everyday life

Rest is not just about stopping work; it is about being present with God. Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century monk, spoke of "practicing the presence of God"—finding Him in ordinary moments, whether in prayer or while washing dishes.

Even in the busiest times, we can create space for rest. Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, famously placed her apron over her head as a sign to her children that she was spending time with God. In a chaotic household, this was her way of stepping into Sabbath rest.

A holy defiance

Choosing rest is a rebellion against the relentless pace of the world. It is an act of defiance against the notion that our worth is tied to productivity. Tolkien beautifully illustrates this in The Lord of the Rings. After a perilous journey, the hobbits arrive at Rivendell, where they find a place of deep rest. "The future, good or ill, was not forgotten, but it ceased to have any power over the present. Health and hope grew strong in them."

This is the essence of Sabbath—finding refuge in God amidst the burdens of life.

Accepting the invitation

Jesus describes Himself as "gentle and lowly in heart." He does not impose rest upon us but invites us to receive it. Unlike sleep, which eventually forces itself upon us, Sabbath rest is a choice. We are not obligated to take it, but when we do, we experience restoration.

Let us not live as slaves to time, schedules, and expectations. Instead, let us step into the freedom of rest. Rest is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It is not escapism; it is trust. It is not a burden; it is a gift.

God, in His infinite wisdom, has invited us to rest. May we have the courage to accept that invitation.

The original teaching has been edited for clarity and brevity; This is not a transcript.