What Does the Bible Say About Rest?
Do you feel guilty when you slow down or take a break—even when you’re exhausted?
You’re not alone. Many of us live with the pressure to stay busy, even when our minds, bodies, and spirits are crying out for rest. But what does God really say about rest?
Let’s look at some Bible verses about rest and discover God’s heart for those of us who are exhausted by the pressure and pace of our life.
Here are 17 verses that talk about rest in the Bible:
REST IS A GIFT FROM GOD
While many of us can feel that needing to rest is a sign of weakness or laziness, God offers rest as a blessing to those who trust Him fully.
In peace I will lie down and sleep; for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
—Psalm 4:8I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.
—Jeremiah 31:25But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
—Isaiah 40:31In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
—Psalm 127:2
EVEN JESUS TOOK TIME TO REST
Jesus encouraged his disciples to take time out of their busy ministry schedule to rest.
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
Jesus was so tired at one stage he fell sound asleep on a boat, even through a terrible storm. When the disciples woke him up, fearing for their lives, Jesus didn’t apologise for taking a nap. Rather, he reprimanded the disciples for their lack of faith.
Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
—Matthew 8:24—26
The religious leaders in Jesus’ time put heavy burdens on the people for them to demonstrate their devotion to God, giving them rules that were impossible to follow. In contrast, Jesus offered his followers rest for their souls.
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
FINDING SOUL REST IN GOD
The Psalmists also wrote about our relationship with God bringing us soul rest.
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
—Psalm 62:1Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
—Psalm 91:1Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
—Psalm 62:5The 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.
—Psalm 23:1–3
GOD DESIGNED A RHYTHM OF REST
We were never designed to work seven days a week. From the beginning of the creation story, God put a rhythm of work and rest in place. God designed us to work for six days and then to stop and rest from our work on the seventh day of each week.
There are many verses throughout scripture about the Sabbath. Here are just a few:
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
—Genesis 2:2–3Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
—Exodus 23:12Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 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, not your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.
—Deuteronomy 5:12–14If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord.
—Isaiah 58:13–14Then he (Jesus) said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
—Mark 2:27–28There 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.
—Hebrews 4:9–11
As I read the scriptures on rest, it is clear to me that I don’t need to feel guilty for taking time off to rest. Rather, God shows us that taking a day off work to rest and refresh our souls is his design and plan for us. Taking a day off work to rest is one of the 10 Commandments. God wants us to stop our endless striving for productivity and achievement and trust in him fully. Rest is an act of faith. Rest is a gift and blessing from God.
But rest is difficult to achieve in our modern world, full of distractions and expectations. We are expected to answer emails from work on any day at any time. The shops are open and calling us to retail therapy. Our lives are full and busy, and it seems there is more to do than what we can fit into seven days, let alone just six.
And I believe this is part of the reason why so many of us struggle with stress and burnout. We are overwhelmed with worry and anxiety. Our relationships, mental and physical health are suffering because our lives are out of balance. We have forgotten how to rest.
Here’s what I’ve learned from these Bible verses:
Rest isn’t lazy—it’s holy.
Jesus rested, and He invites me to do the same.
Sabbath isn’t a burden, it’s a blessing.
Rest is an act of faith and trust in God’s provision.
I pray reading these Bible verses about rest has blessed you. And as you meditate on God’s gift of rest, I hope you are able to find ways to protect the time you need to refresh your soul in the presence of your Saviour.
If you would like to explore how to rest in God further, download my free “Rest for Your Soul” 7-day devotional below and explore seven principles of biblical rest.
