Why we Feel Guilty About Rest

Our culture wants us to believe that rest makes us lazy or, at the very least, that when we have free time, we should fill it with an activity or something productive. Some of us grew up thinking that we had to complete chores, that the house must be clean or complete the laundry done before we were allowed to rest. Something always had to be done.

Unfortunately, this makes us think we don’t deserve time to be quiet, time to recharge, or time to simply be. If we continue this pattern, we will have an epic crash. We lose the ability to live, love, and serve from a healthy place. We see the people around us as burdens and one more thing to take care of. We become jaded and bitter, but this pattern can change.

Rest is Part of God’s Design

The Christian perspective on rest is very clear. Christianity has a long history of honoring rest. Throughout Scripture, we see that God rested, Jesus withdrew from the crowds, Elijah slept and received nourishment when he was exhausted, and David and Jacob experienced rest in God’s presence. And Jesus told His disciples to step away from their work and rest.

You Do Not Have to Earn Rest

What makes us think that we are undeserving of rest? Often, it is not our faith but the expectations we have learned from others and our culture. We may begin to believe that our homes must look like the cover of a magazine or a television show. We must always appear perfectly put together, that our families must meet impossible standards, and if we don’t, we are failing.

Instead of enjoying what is around us, we become consumed with appearance and performance, and at the root of this self-imposed prison may be the belief that we must earn rest before we are allowed to receive it.

Rest is not a failure of faith or living. Everyone needs sleep, nourishment, solitude, Sabbath, and time with God or their higher power. We need time to give and receive care. Choosing, even scheduling, regular rest is one way of accepting our limits and trusting that God’s care does not depend on our constant effort.

The Consequensces of a Life Without Rest

If we do not accept that we need and must rest, we can become irritable, anxious, numb, resentful, and discouraged. Our concentration and judgment can suffer, and ordinary problems become extraordinary. We become physically restless, and we struggle with sleep, get sick more easily, experience burnout or depression, and disconnect from the people we care about.

Rest is not optional; it’s required. It is part of how we care for the life God has given us.

Learning to Rest Without Guilt

If you struggle to allow yourself to rest, there could be deeper reasons why. I can help you understand those beliefs, set healthy and healing boundaries, and begin rewriting your story. You can learn to say no without guilt and step away from the demands you have placed on yourself.

Exhaustion is not a way to live

Exhaustion is not a way to live, and you do not have to surrender to the demands of your culture. Choosing rest is a way of choosing life.

If you’d like to start your journey to rest, reach out. Let’s talk about it. Free yourself from the demands you place on yourself and begin to live.