Rest is Part of God's Plan

February 15, 2023

Many people don’t see the value in getting enough rest, especially in our American culture.

But here’s the truth: without proper rest, you’ll struggle to be who

God wants you to be. Rest is so important to God that he even put it in

the Ten Commandments: “Remember to observe the Sabbath day

by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work,

but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your

God” (Exodus 20:8-10 NLT). 

When you’re anxiously working from early morning to late night,

you’ll burn out—and that’s not what God wants for you. He wants you to

get enough rest.

In 1 Kings, the prophet Elijah needed some serious rest after a

confrontation with 450 pagan prophets of the false god Baal. King Ahab

and Queen Jezebel were leading the nation of Israel to follow these

gods. In a dramatic moment before all of Israel, Elijah asked God to

send down fire to consume a sacrifice and, thus, prove he was the one

true God.

God sent the fire—but the experience left Elijah emotionally and

physically drained. Then he heard that the queen planned to assassinate

him, so he ran away and hid in a cave. Elijah became so discouraged and

depressed that he asked God to kill him.

What was God’s solution to Elijah’s depression? God gave him food and

then let him go to sleep. Then God woke him up, fed him some more, and

sent him back to sleep. Elijah ate and slept, ate and slept.

Sometimes taking a nap is the most spiritual thing you can do.

Today, if you are so tired—so fatigued that you are barely holding on—don’t give up.

Take time to rest and remember: “The LORD is the

everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow

tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out. He gives

power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak” (Isaiah 40:28-29 BSB).