As followers of Christ, we are called to a life of faithful obedience. In our desire to please God and do His will, we often feel compelled to take action. We may view action as forward motion—building for God, serving our local church, engaging in spiritual warfare, fervent prayer, preaching the gospel, discipling others, and more. While these are all faith-based actions, one of the most significant steps we can take as we move forward is to adopt a posture of rest.

Yet rest can seem counterproductive when we are busy building and warring for God. We may feel driven to reach our goals and complete our assignments in order to please Him. However, God invites us to stop and rest—even in the middle of our work:

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. (Hebrews 4:9–10, NLT)

Sabbath rest is a gift given to us amid our work, yet we often refuse to accept it. Today’s culture glorifies the “hustle.” In a world that bombards us with the message that we are only as valuable as what we produce, we can begin striving to earn God’s approval through our work. Because worldly success is so highly valued, rest can appear lazy. This is why many people struggle to rest—they fear being seen as unproductive.

But Hebrews warns that those who fail to enter God’s rest will fall. They will experience the destructive consequences of overworking themselves. This is not the life God desires for His children. As God’s beloved sons and daughters, we have been shown a better way:

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. (Psalm 127:2, NLT)

God desires that everything we do flow from our relationship with Him. As we abide in Him, we naturally produce fruit. We do not need to anxiously toil or rely on our own strength to generate godly outcomes. Toil is work rooted in fear and distrust of God. However, when we labor from our connection with Him, we are no longer working for approval. Instead, we simply steward what God has already placed within us—without exhausting ourselves or unraveling under pressure.

When we learn to rely on God’s ability rather than our own, we discover that we can do nothing apart from Him—and that truth frees us. In our weakness, we receive His strength. Living this way guards us against burnout and teaches us to value rest as a vital source of renewal in times of need.

Scripture reveals the beauty and purpose of Sabbath rest. The Father worked for six days and then rested on the seventh day of creation. Did He need rest? No. He was setting an example, revealing the gift of Sabbath rest to humanity. In Scripture, the number seven represents completion and wholeness. God was showing us that resting from our work leads to health and wholeness.

This sense of completion is not limited to physical rest. The Father also sent His Son to provide a way for us to enter spiritual rest through His death and resurrection. Thus, as believers, when we choose to stop and rest from our physical labor, we also receive the spiritual rest Jesus offers to our souls.

Although we may fear that rest will set us back or disrupt our progress, research consistently shows that those who intentionally rest are more productive than those who do not. Friend, do you recognize the power of rest? It brings clarity, focus, and intentionality to our work while replenishing our strength. Rest is vital for believers—it is an essential spiritual practice that keeps us grounded in Jesus and produces abundant fruit in our lives.

If you truly trust God with every aspect of your life, rest must be a priority in your walk with God. In fact, it is one of the most important acts of faith you can take, and it yields some of the greatest fruit. Can you hear His voice calling?

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NLT)

Respond to His invitation today—and enter His supernatural rest.