When God Says Rest: Trusting His Pause in the Midst of Overwhelm

💫 Opening Reflection & Biblical Anchor

I remember a night recently when everyone in my house was resting, but my mind wouldn’t. The needs of my husband, kids, grandchildren, patients, parents, etc. weighed on me with exhaustion. I closed my eyes and whispered Psalm 46:10:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

In that quiet, God met me. He didn’t demand more work. He didn’t ask me to push harder. He whispered: rest.

That truth has carried me through decades of caregiving, trauma, and quiet storms. Today, I want to speak that same invitation over you: you don’t have to earn rest. God says rest.

🧠 Trauma, the Nervous System & Why Rest Feels Hard

Rest is not merely a luxury — it’s a biological necessity. Our nervous systems are wired to alternate between sympathetic activation (stress, fight/flight) and parasympathetic calming (rest/digest) Harvard Health.

In trauma, this balance is disrupted. Many survivors live with a nervous system “stuck on,” unable to shift into rest mode — hyperarousal, anxiety, tension. Others feel shut down, disconnected, exhausted. Trauma literally changes how your body expects safety MHS+1.

Recent research into “deep rest” shows that when the body receives cues of safety, it sends signals to switch off the “gas pedal” in favor of repair, healing, and restoration UCSF Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. But many of us lack those cues. Our environment tells us work must come first.

Sabbath theology gives us those cues: rest is not optional, it’s sacred. It's an expression of trust: Even if the work is urgent, I trust God’s sovereignty. The Sabbath is a reminder of our freedom — freedom from measures, performance, and the relentless push for productivity The Gospel Coalition | India+2The Caskey Center+2.

So when God says “rest,” He is calling your nervous system back home.

🌿 Practical Steps to Rest When God Says It

Here are three practices combining spiritual and somatic rhythms. You can do them anywhere — at home, during a break, before bed.

1. Breathing Prayer (2 minutes)

• Inhale slowly through the nose, silently saying: “Jesus, I rest in You.”

• Exhale gently through the mouth, releasing: “I release the striving.”

• Let each breath be a surrender, not a demand.

Breath directly influences the vagus nerve, which is part of the parasympathetic system — breathing slowly elongates exhale and signals safety to the brain.

2. Body Stillness Scan (3 minutes)

• Sit or lie down comfortably.

• Bring awareness to your body — without pushing or judging.

• Notice tension: jaw, shoulders, chest, belly, legs.

• With each out-breath, imagine releasing tension, relaxing into God’s presence.

• Let your body rest, not your to-do list.

This practice re-teaches your body what rest feels like.

3. Guilt Reframing & Truth Anchoring

When guilt creeps in — “I should be doing more,” “Tomorrow I’ll rest” — counter it with truth:

• Guilt is a lie rooted in performance.

• God’s worth for you is not tied to output.

• Rest is obedience, not indulgence.

• Whisper Scripture like Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Write or speak these truths to your heart whenever the lies press in.

💗 Closing Encouragement

When God says rest, He’s not punishing you with inactivity. He’s inviting you into wholeness. He’s not withholding value — He’s restoring it.

Your worth isn’t in your productivity, your checklist, or the applause of others. Your worth is intrinsic — beloved by the One who made you.

💗 With love and grace,

Jennifer Nicole Green, NP-C Founder of Lolli Love — Faith-rooted, trauma-informed well-being for tired hearts.