What the Bible Says About Rest for Your Weary Soul

Inside: Tired? Weary? What the Bible says about rest and restoration. What did Jesus say about resting? 10 comforting Bible verses about rest. Plus how we can rest in God’s love.

Why We Need to Rest and Why God Wants it for us

How good are you at rest? I used to feel guilty if I laid on the couch and watched TV or read a book for a couple of hours. 

But resting isn’t optional. God wants to give us rest. Why does he want us to rest? 

God wants us to enjoy life, and this isn’t possible when we never slow down. 

If you think nothing will get done or resting isn’t an option for you in your present situation, you may not trust God. 

When we genuinely rest (or even observe a Sabbath Day), we acknowledge that God controls all things. Not working for a full day releases our control over the situation. Maybe you’re worried about money, so you work five days a week, then on the weekends, you work a side hustle or second job. 

Related: How to Pray Effectively and Keep Your Mind Focused

When you ultimately stop working for one whole day, you’re giving up the chance to earn money. Yet you’re also saying, “God will take care of me. I don’t need to hustle every single day.”

You don’t need to rest from work for a full day to experience God’s rest. Some of us need to rest from social media one day a week. 

Another reason to rest is so you can enjoy the wonders of God. Resting from a stressful job or relationship allows you the time you’d typically put into something else, time with God if you so choose.

bible verse rest

What does the Bible say about rest?

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. ~Psalm 127:2 NIV

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. ~Exodus 20:8-11 NIV

Related: Does God Really Answer Prayer? Here’s the Proof You Need

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. ~Hebrews 4:9-10 NIV

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. ~Isaiah 30:15 NIV

Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest. ~Exodus 34:21 NIV

Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. ~Psalm 116:7 NIV

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. ~Psalm 62:5 ESV

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. ~Psalm 27:14 NIV

bible verse rest

Related: The Best Bible Verses About God’s Love

What did Jesus say about rest?

“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.” ~Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” ~Mark 6:31 NIV

How do I rest in God’s love?

When you take yourself of a situation and rest, you’re trusting God. You don’t have to sit and meditate on his word all day to experience the rest he provides. 

Resting in His love can be found by giving up control or praising Him for your current situation, even if it’s not what you wanted.

What do you need to rest from this week? Do you trust God enough to take care of you while you’re resting? 

What the Bible Says About Rest for Your Weary Soul