Why striving isn’t the answer, and what to do instead.
Do you ever feel exhausted from trying to "do everything right" as a Christian?
Maybe you pray, read your Bible, and do your best to trust God—but deep down, you’re still waiting for things to change. You still feel like you’re carrying the weight of your life on your shoulders.
If that’s you, I want you to hear this today: God never intended for you to live this way.
Resting in God’s promises isn’t about doing nothing but trusting that He’s already done everything.
Let’s dive into what that looks like in real life.
Most people think resting means inactivity. But biblical rest isn’t about doing less, it’s about trusting more.
📖 Exodus 33:14 – "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
God’s rest isn’t about escaping your responsibilities, it’s about knowing He is with you in them.
📖 Psalm 23:1-2 – "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
Just like sheep trust their shepherd to lead and protect them, we are called to trust that God is already taking care of us.
📖 Hebrews 4:10 – “For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
Rest is not about waiting for blessings to show up—it’s about believing that they already have.
We live in a culture that tells us to hustle, achieve, and prove ourselves. But the Bible warns us not to fall into this trap:
📖 Hebrews 4:3 – “For we who have believed enter that rest…”
The key word? Believed.
Rest isn’t for those who strive—it’s for those who trust.
🔹 The Lie: "I need to work harder to earn God’s blessings."
🔹 The Truth: God has already given you every spiritual blessing.
📖 Ephesians 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.”
If resting in God is about trust, then how do we practically walk in that trust every day?
📖 2 Corinthians 5:17 – "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Stop praying for peace and start thanking God that you already have it.
Rest doesn’t mean doing nothing—it means letting go of the need to control outcomes.
📖 Hebrews 4:11 – “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…”
The only thing we’re told to strive for is rest in God!
🔹 Example: One of my clients, Jem, was estranged from her teenage sons. Instead of forcing a relationship, she fully surrendered the situation to God.
For two years, she did nothing—just trusted.
Eventually, her son reached out—not for a reunion, but because he needed something. She let it go. Weeks later, he asked her to take him out to eat.
Now, less than a year later, both of her children are in her life again.
Why? Because she chose to rest instead of striving.
📖 Exodus 33:14 – “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
🔹 Practical Steps to Enter God’s Rest:
✅ Start your day in gratitude instead of anxiety.
✅ Pause throughout the day to remind yourself that God is in control.
✅ Worship and meditate on His Word to renew your mind.
When you create space for God, rest becomes a reality—not just an idea.
You don’t have to prove yourself to be worthy of rest.
You don’t have to work harder to receive God’s promises.
📖 Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
God is not asking you to do more, He’s asking you to trust more.
💡 Challenge: What is one thing you need to stop striving for and start trusting God with?
Comment below. I’d love to pray for you. If you need help believing God’s promises I have a free resource for you. Comment “offer” below and I will send you my free affirmation cards taken directly from scripture.💛
(If this message blessed you, share it with a friend who needs encouragement today!)