When Life Feels Too Full: A Gentle Invitation to Rest

May I ask a personal question?

How much rest (including sleep) do you get in a 24‑hour period?

Some of you are probably thinking, “Rest? What’s that?”

I hear ya. Not so long ago my philosophy was, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Have you ever thought that or maybe even said it out loud?

It wasn’t that I thought the world couldn’t get along without me for 8 hours; it was something else entirely — my to‑do list.

All my adult life, I’ve put more on my daily task list than 10 women could accomplish in a week. Even when my schedule became more flexible and I shifted into writing full‑time, I continued getting up before sunrise to start my workday. Then one day something happened.

It was mid‑afternoon, and I felt sick, shaky even. I couldn’t think clearly. I was dead tired. Hear me on this… not just tired, dead tired. It was then that I realized something had to give or I would give out.

For the first time in forever, I stopped everything and re‑evaluated my schedule. That pause helped me see my own life with fresh eyes. And as I write this, I’m mindful that your days may look very different from mine. Some seasons are fuller, some are heavier, yet the beautiful truth remains: God meets each of us right where we are.

So when I looked honestly at my own life, the first thing I knew I needed to address was sleep. Not a prescribed number of hours, but simply listening to what my body had been trying to tell me. I began sleeping until I naturally woke up — something I know isn’t possible for everyone, especially if you’re working full time, caring for children, or carrying responsibilities that begin before sunrise. But even small steps toward honoring your body’s need for rest can make a real difference. I was surprised by how glorious it felt, and how much it changed the quality of my days.

Second, I reconsidered the rhythm of my days with a closer eye toward balancing my life’s responsibilities: taking care of my family and home, managing appointments, maintaining connections with friends, and being faithful to show up every morning, Monday through Friday, at my new job of writing for the LORD.

It seems like a lot to juggle, because it is.

The Tension We All Feel

We all want to be faithful with the gifts God has given us. We want to work hard without feeling overwhelmed or burned out. We want time to relax and rest without feeling a heavy load of guilt. We want to hear God amidst all the noise, rush, and crush of our daily lives.

Maybe you think these tensions will ease once your season of work changes. I used to think that too. But I’ve learned that no matter our stage of life — whether we’re working full‑time, raising children, caring for aging parents, or navigating a new chapter — the pull between work, rest, and responsibility remains. And it’s not a sign of failure. It’s a sign that God is still shaping us.

What God is Teaching Me About Work

I have been blessed to do the thing I love — writing — for my entire professional career, first as a newspaper reporter, then as a PR and marketing writer, and finally as a fundraising writer at a Christian college. I loved using the passion and skills God gave me in those roles, and I genuinely love the work He’s given me to do now in this phase of my life — writing my novel, shaping words for blog posts, and encouraging others with my words in person and through social media.

Despite dedicating my life to a profession I love, I’ve also had to learn a tough lesson: that work becomes distorted when I let it define my worth.

There have been days when I’ve pushed myself to “produce” because I felt behind, or because I feared disappointing someone, or because I thought the only way forward was through sheer effort. And yet, the breakthroughs — especially in my writing — rarely come from frenzy. They come from faithfulness.

God keeps reminding me that sometimes the most productive thing I can do is step away, breathe, and let Him do the work I cannot see.

What God is Teaching Me About Rest

Rest, I’m discovering, is not a reward for finishing everything. It’s a vital rhythm woven into creation itself.

Rest is trust. Rest is surrender. Rest is remembering that I am not the one holding the world together. Yikes!

Rather than diving into a devotional reading and journaling first thing in the morning, I’ve begun practicing a more gentle routine — a focused time of prayer and worship, meditating over Scripture — before I launch into activity. This isn’t dramatic, but this practice is anchoring my perspective for the day.

The Space Between

Have you ever noticed how we become most aware of God’s work in the quiet moments of our lives?

When I take the time to slow down and notice Him there, God gently shifts my heart to a state of calm and peace. In those moments, I become aware of His Holy Spirit bringing comfort and assurance that no matter what the day holds, He holds me. I’m slowly learning that my work is a dance between effort and surrender, between showing up with discipline and letting go of the outcome. Perhaps this is a lesson you also need to learn.

A Scripture verse that’s anchoring me right now is Isaiah 30:15, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.”

A Gentle Invitation

Wherever you find yourself today — working, resting, caregiving, or somewhere in the space between — may you sense God’s nearness. May you feel His invitation to breathe, to trust, and to let Him set the rhythm of your days.

Reflection Question:

Where in your life is God inviting you to slow down, listen, or simply rest with Him?