A recent study among American workers said that most employees report that they only get about 26 minutes of free time every week. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with being a good employee, working hard, and making a better life for you and your family, there is no way that it’s healthy to only have 26 minutes of free time every seven days. Not only is that unhealthy physically, but not allowing yourself to slow down also damages you mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.
Once we fall into the trap of perpetual busyness, it’s hard to break free. When you make constantly being busy, stressed, and rushed your normal routine, it can seem impossible for you to embrace the rest that God wants you to experience. Today, ask God to help you slow down so you can rest. These times of rest in His presence will allow Him to renew and restore you.
Pray These Verses
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Psalm 23:1-3 (NIV)
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Hebrews 4:9-11 (NIV)
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
Pray This Prayer
Heavenly Father, there are times where I feel like my life is spent in a never-ending cycle of busyness. While I know that I have the same 24 hours every day, it rarely feels like enough. I am so distracted and weighed down by the things that I have to get done every day that I feel like I rarely have time to truly spend with You. Lord, help me to slow down. Help me to embrace the little moments where You want to speak to me. I know that You promised rest in Your presence. You promised to make me lie down in green pastures so I could find rest for my soul. Most of all, help me to rest in You so I can avoid following the example of those who didn’t. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Thank God
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me the chance to slow down and rest in You. Thank You for caring so much about me that You want me to rest so I can experience restoration and renewal through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for the green pastures where I know that You are waiting to sustain and renew me. In Christ’s name, Amen.