Faith is a Rest
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus and His disciples stop by the home of Martha and her sister, Mary. Martha immediately begins making preparations for the guests while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet to spend time with Him and listen to His teachings. Frustrated, Martha asks Jesus to push Mary to help her. Instead of leaning into the worry she presents Him with, Jesus gently corrects Martha for being anxious and troubled even though He was right there with her. He points her attention to Mary, who was sitting at His feet, fully present and at peace.
Here, we’re reminded that even good things like service and hard work can become distractions when they are not done from a place of spiritual rest. Through this passage, Jesus is urging us to reach for rest and not just the small rest of taking a break. He wants us to rest as a way of living. The point isn't to stop working altogether or to diminish our desire to work hard. It’s to learn how to do life from a place of rest, instead of waiting until we have completed all other commitments before giving ourselves space to rest.
In 1 Peter 5:6-7, we’re told to cast our cares on God. The word “cares” translates to distractions. We live in a world full of pressure, anxiety, and exhaustion. These words are all rooted in a fear that we won’t gain something essential or regain something that has been lost unless we strive. But Jesus offers a better way: a life lived from faith, not fear. Faith, in this context, is the ability to live as though the essential thing we desire to have or recover has already been guaranteed. Jesus guarantees that He will provide for us, care for us, heal us, and see us for who we really are.
We must ask ourselves:
What is the essential thing we fear we’ll never gain or get back? It could be finances, relationships, or even respect.
What are the ways we’re trying to fix our problems on our own strength instead of trusting God to handle it?
What would it look like for us to bring our worries to Jesus, sit at His feet, and truly listen to what He’s saying to us?
Once we’ve done this check-in, it’s important to take practical steps toward a mind and heart that are rooted in rest:
We open ourselves fully to God by spending time in worship, reading Scripture, and surrendering our plans and worries. This means making space for quiet moments where we can hear what God is saying and allow His peace to shape our perspective.
We surround ourselves with people who live by faith. These are the ones who remind us what it looks like to trust God deeply, even in uncertain times. Their example builds us up and helps anchor us when our own faith feels shaky.
We step away from anxious conversations that pull us out of peace. This doesn’t mean we stop caring about others, but we learn to protect our hearts. When we’re trying to live in rest, we need to be mindful of the voices we allow to influence us.
We fight to protect our faith and our rest. This means being intentional through prayer, setting boundaries, and choosing to walk in trust rather than fear. Rest isn’t something we stumble into. It’s something we commit to and actively guard.
God doesn’t just want us to visit rest occasionally. He wants us to live there.
Prayer: Lord, help me stop striving and start trusting. Teach me to live from a place of rest. Show me the areas where I’ve been operating in fear instead of faith. Help me cast my cares on You. Let my life be marked by peace, trust, and the kind of rest that only You can give. In Jesus’ name, amen.