God Wants You to Rest

by Rick Warren — March 5, 2019

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters” (Psalm 23:2 NIV).

Are you always in a hurry? Is your to-do list unrealistically long? Has more than one person ever told you to slow down? Do you feel guilty when you relax? Do you have to get sick to take time off?

The pace of our modern society pushes us to keep going and going and going. Many people work even on their day off. And those who go to a church service often head home afterward only to dive right into work (whether it’s housework, schoolwork, or career work), trying to do all the stuff that they didn’t accomplish during the regular workweek. On top of that, some people think God only smiles on them when they’re working, praying, or doing “spiritual” activities.

No wonder we’re exhausted! Most of us are maxed out. But that’s not the way of the Good Shepherd.

God, in his goodness, created rest because he considers it as important as work. A loving shepherd makes sure his sheep get enough rest to stay healthy. If you won’t lie down, God will make you lie down. Sometimes the only way God can get you to look up is to lay you flat on your back. He will do that because he cares about your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters” (NIV).

Giving God your best requires rest.

Talk It Over

  • What do green pastures and quiet waters, like we read about in Psalm 23:2, represent to you?
  • Why do so many people overwork and not get enough rest?
  • In what ways could you change your schedule or expectations at home and work so that you get enough rest?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.