Finding True Rest in Christ: Overcoming Burnout and Busyness Through Faith

Life for millions of people is anything but slow. Between finishing school, working long and unpredictable hours to stay ahead, keeping up with the constant stream of news and media, taking care of children if you are a parent, and trying to maintain a romantic or social life, it is easy to see how things quickly pile up. And that is before even mentioning spending quality time with the Lord. It is usually in that order that people operate.

Many are suffering under this model of living, yet because society equates busyness with productivity, they do not even realize they are suffering or that they can do something about it. The most common phrase people use is, “I am busy!” Busyness and exhaustion have become badges of honor, while rest has become an afterthought—something you might get if social security does not run out and your retirement holds up. This is a crazy way to live, grinding through life without ever experiencing true, meaningful quality time with friends and family outside of maybe two or three short vacations a year.

The self-care movement introduces a worldly form of rest and peace, but it often comes with the burden of material pursuit. You have to buy face masks, rollers, massages (which grow more expensive every year), deluxe spa experiences, towels, creams, skincare products, wellness retreats, and the latest trending self-care items. All of that adds up. I am not knocking it, but it does not lead people to the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” It brings temporary relief, but soon enough, it is back to stress, anxiety, depression, and negativity.

The extreme response to the busyness of life is idleness—the mindset of people who want to do nothing because they are tired of being used up by every part of society. It is understandable how someone can reach that point, but this too is a worldly form of rest. Having meaningful work is part of how God made us. It may be that God is calling you to start your own business, lead a nonprofit, focus on your family, or pour into a loved one instead of working a typical nine-to-five job. Even in that, those callings are not idle. You may find that God’s grace was not on what you were doing before because He needed you somewhere else. When people finally step into the place where God has called them to be, there is a supernatural peace and grace that follows.

I am always reminded of Martha and Mary in the Bible, and I believe their story reflects two types of Christians. There are those who are busybodies—constantly worrying about everything they think they must handle, like Martha. Then there are those who sit at the feet of Jesus, like Mary.

Luke 10:38-42 says:

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’”

Which one is better? Being overwhelmed by countless worries and unable to rest, or spending time with Jesus and gaining the “peace which surpasses all understanding”?

Some might say, “It is impossible for me to fit that into my life.” Yet to that, Jesus says in Luke 18:27, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” If you truly desire real rest—not worldly rest—make the effort to spend time with Him. If your desire is genuine, He will help you get there.

Here are some steps to move from a worldly form of rest to true rest and peace:

1. Spend Quality Time with Jesus

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This invitation still stands today. Jesus is calling out to those who are weary—tired and ready for change—and burdened by religious rituals or patterns that bring no peace. There are many who have a form of godliness but deny its power, leaving them restless and unfulfilled. Jesus wants you to come directly to Him. Follow Him—not your yoga instructor, not your pastor, not the world, not culture, not even your parents. Come to Him and follow Him. The only way to begin that relationship is to sit at His feet, like Mary, and spend quality time in His presence and Word.

2. Pray and Release Your Cares

Prayer is essential, and it is the reason this truth is emphasized more than once. Philippians 4:6-7 says,

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

People often take on far more than they should. In America, exhaustion and busyness are worn like trophies. Yet Proverbs 10:22 reminds us, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” Sorrow often stems from living in a continual cycle of burnout, exhaustion, and overwhelm. There is a saying that goes, “You are in way over your head,” and that is true when you try to carry the burdens of this life on your own. Instead, give them to the Lord. As 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”

3. Read and Do the Word of God

Many people are burdened by life because they do not know God’s promises or His way of living. Some believe they know the Word, but what they really know is only what others have told them. You must intimately know the Word of God yourself. Hearing from the Source directly is what brings transformation, and the best way to hear from Him is through Scripture.

James 1:22-25 says,

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

4. Embrace the Sabbath

Hebrews 4:9-11 speaks of a spiritual “Sabbath rest” available to God’s people—a rest that involves ceasing from our own works just as God did after creation. God desires that we dedicate at least one day to embrace and observe the Sabbath. Yet for many, Sunday is one of the busiest days of the week as they prepare for Monday. They wonder why they are drained, not realizing that they are skipping both physical and spiritual rest.

God’s design is for us to experience rest in His presence, not just rest from work. True rest is found when we stop striving, sit at His feet, and allow His peace to fill every part of our being. When we choose His way, He gives us the kind of rest that no vacation, paycheck, or self-care routine can ever provide.

Let’s continue the conversation. How are you incorporating rest into your life? What do you need to let go?