Don't Forget to Rest
Burnout isn’t holy—and exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor. Today’s devotion is your reminder that rest is a gift from God, not a reward you have to earn.
Do you feel guilty for slowing down, like rest is something you’ll get to “one day”?
You’re not alone. We live in a world that glorifies busy—but Jesus invites us to something better. In Mark 6, even He tells His disciples to step away and rest. If the Son of God made space to recharge, so should we.
BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:
- Why rest is a spiritual practice, not a productivity killer
- What Jesus teaches about stepping away
- A practical question to help you say “yes” to rest today
Your soul doesn’t need more hustle—it needs more Him.
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And if you’d like to support what I’m doing here, you can become a monthly partner.
As a thank you, I’ll send you a physical copy of the book, Unshakable: Standing Strong When Things Go Wrong. Just check the show notes below for the link.
SCRIPTURE VERSES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Mark 6:31 (NLT)
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You’ve been running nonstop. One deadline turns into another. Your body’s tired, your mind’s noisy, and your soul is running on empty. You tell yourself, “I’ll rest when I can catch up.” But somehow… you never do.
Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I’m Bart Leger, and I’ll be honest—this one hits close to home. I’ve had seasons where I wore exhaustion like a badge of honor. And I let everybody know it. But burnout isn’t holy. And today, God is inviting both you and me to rest.
Let’s look at Mark 6:31. This is Jesus talking to His disciples after a long stretch of ministry:
“Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”
Even Jesus stepped away. Even He made space to rest.
I’ve pushed past my limits more times than I care to admit. And sometimes, I did it for all the wrong reasons: to feel useful, to look productive, or to avoid what I didn’t want to deal with.
But rest isn’t a reward for finishing your to-do list. Rest is a rhythm designed by God.
In Mark 6, Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples to push through. He says, “Let’s get away and rest.” That’s not laziness. That’s wisdom. That’s love.
Rest is where your heart gets recalibrated. Where your mind gets quiet enough to hear God’s voice. Where your soul remembers—you are not what you produce.
When you choose rest, you’re saying, “God, I trust You to run the world while I sleep.”
So today, what’s one thing you can say “no” to… so you can say “yes” to rest?
Block it off. Shut it down. Give yourself permission.
“God, thank You for inviting me to rest. Help me stop long enough to hear Your voice and feel Your peace. I trust You with what I can’t finish. You never sleep, so I don’t have to keep going nonstop. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
If you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a quick rating or review helps others discover it too.
And if you’d like to support what I’m doing here, you can become a monthly partner.
As a thank you, I’ll send you a physical copy of the book, Unshakable: Standing Strong When Things Go Wrong. Just check the show notes for the link.
Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember—rest isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of trust. Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God’s truth. Till then, God bless, and have a great day!
