"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
As I approach the end of the year and head into a season of rest, I find myself asking the question, “how do I rest in such a way that I feel refreshed and ready for the new year ahead?” If I think of the business of the last few months, let alone the accumulative impact of the past year, how do I recover in twelve days from the residue of the past twelve months? This often feels like an impossible task.
We look to our holidays, with so much hope and anticipation of relief from the daily grind and demands of life, while finally having the time and opportunity to do the things we’ve been waiting to do – clean out a cupboard, read a book, sleep in a little longer, spend time with family and friends. By the end of our holiday we’ve experienced a refreshing change in our daily routine and ticked a few things off our list, but we’re no more rested and ready for the year ahead than when we went into it. We may feel refreshed, but not necessarily ready.
Friends, to change our experience of rest, we need to change the way we think about and view rest. Wayne Dyer put it this way,
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
Purpose of Resting
Whilst pondering how to rest this holiday, the Lord showed me the process of making bread. Ingredients are mixed together; dough is kneaded and then left to rest in order for the dough to rise before baking. I felt the Lord say, “we rest not because of where we’ve been, but because of where we’re going”
Rest is an essential part of the process that provides time and space for the ingredients to fully develop before baking. Dough rests, not because it’s been kneaded but because it’s becoming bread. Bread that needs time to rise in a warm, still environment, in order to fulfil the purpose for which it’s being baked. Without the resting time to rise, dough ends up being nothing more than a brick made of dough – dense, heavy, and flat. Just as dough cannot rise and fulfil its purpose without rest, neither can we.
When we view rest only as a time of recovery from kneading, we hinder what He’s developing within us, and we stop short of His purpose for rest. A time of rest is not just for recovery, but for rising – a still and sacred time for the internal deepening, integration and development of what He’s done within us, so we can fulfil all He has for us. When rest is limited to recovery, we’re limited to living in response to our past experiences instead of our future purpose. Rest becomes medicative instead of meditative.
When rest is medicative it becomes self-focused, self-indulgent and unfulfilling. When it’s meditative, it becomes life-giving, restorative and purposeful because it’s anchored in the Father and the hope of what lies ahead. This type of rest, honors our past experiences while preparing us for what’s coming.
Jesus Modelled Rest
As we search the scriptures, we see that Jesus rested before any big ministry moment. There was a time of drawing aside, not for recovery, but to prepare and transition from one moment to the next.
- Before starting His public ministry: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.” Matthew 4:1-2
- Before choosing His 12 Disciples: “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles.” Luke 6:12–13
- After intense ministry and before more work: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35–38
- Before He went to the cross: “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” Matthew 26:36
Knowing what was ahead, Jesus withdrew to be alone with the Father to prepare physically, spiritually and emotionally; and today He is inviting us to do the same. To draw aside with Him as we transition from one year to the next, because rest is not just about where we’ve been, but where we’re going. It’s about positioning our bodies, souls and spirits to be ready to partner with Him and step into the good works that He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10).
What does resting to rise look like?
How do we rest in such a way that we feel not just refreshed but restored and ready for the new year ahead? We intentionally cultivate it in every part of our being – body, soul and spirit; not limited to recovery from our past experiences but with the intent of preparation and recalibration for what’s coming.
Resting your Body through Stillness
Our bodies are the vessel through which God accomplishes His purposes. By intentionally creating space for physical rest and renewal, we steward gift God has given us. Physically resting to rise might look like:
- Prioritizing sleep and unhurried mornings.
- Spending time in nature – walking slowly, noticing the beauty of our surroundings and breathing deeply.
- Eating nourishing foods, staying hydrated and moving gently – or at the least not over-indulging in all the treats the festive season has to offer.
- Unplug from your devices to allow your senses to recalibrate.
- Allow yourself to do nothing without guilt or shame – stillness is not laziness, its presence.
“And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.” Mark 6:31 (NKJ)
Resting your Soul through Reflection
Our soul is the engine room of our being comprising of our thoughts, desires and emotions. Through quiet reflection God is able to reorder and restore the engine room of our inner world. Resting our soul to rise takes place as we:
- Journal and reflect on the past year – not just what happened, but how it impacted and shaped you.
- Practice gratitude – anchor yourself in the goodness of God
- Extend forgiveness – release what you cannot and shouldn’t carry forward
- Limit external noise – podcasts, movies and social media can clutter our heart and mind
- Find a creative outlet – art, music and writing soothes the heart and quietens the mind while giving voice to your emotions.
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV)
Resting your Spirit through His Presence
Spiritual rest is found when abiding in His presence. Drawing near to the Father, hearing His voice and aligning our hearts with His. Resting in His presence to rise might look like:
- Unhurried time in prayer and the Word – not seeking direction or answers but communing with Him.
- Sit in silence – simply be before God and dwell in His presence
- Worship – allow songs to draw your heart towards His
- Have a conversation with Him – talk to Him honestly about what’s on your heart and listen for His response
- Meditate on His promises and the prophetic words He’s spoken over you – remind yourself of His faithfulness while cultivating faith for the future
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4 (NKJ)
Reflective Questions
Take a moment to sit quietly with the Lord and ponder these questions. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you, revealing what you need in this season of rest and how to best meet that need.
- Where am I weary? What part of me – body, soul, or spirit – feels most depleted and what might God be inviting me to release or restore in that area?
- What has God been forming in me this past season? What “ingredients” has He mixed in – lessons, challenges, joys – that now need time to settle, integrate, or rise?
- What does rest look like for me right now? Am I viewing rest as escape from exhaustion, or as sacred preparation for what’s coming?
- How can I create an environment of stillness? What rhythms, boundaries, or spaces help me quiet my inner world so I can hear from God more clearly?
- What do I sense God preparing me for in the new year? As I rest, what dreams, callings, or new directions is the Spirit beginning to stir within me?
As you step into this season of rest remember it’s not just a momentary reprieve from life’s demands, but a sacred time of restoration and preparation. A time of feasting on the Bread of Life (John 6:35). By resting your body, soul and spirit, you allow God to integrate the experiences and lessons from the past while renewing strength and preparing for what He is calling you to in the new year. May this be a season of stillness, reflection and communion with the Father – a season of resting to rise and embrace all that He has prepared for you and designed you for.