Rest it isnt an option

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Rest Isn't Optional

So many times in life, we just keep going—faster, harder, longer—without ever stopping to ask ourselves why. We run ourselves into the ground, convinced it’s for a good reason. We do it to help others. We do it to put everyone else first. We do it to stay ahead of the bills, ahead of the laundry, ahead of… whatever. But the truth is, all we’re really doing is running ourselves down.

We slap on a bit of false humility and say things like, “I can’t stop—I have responsibilities.” “I’ve got bills to pay.” “I’ve got things to do.” But what’s often underneath that is fear. Fear that if we stop, we won’t be able to start again. At least, that’s what it was for me. I was afraid that if I stopped, everything would fall apart—because I was the one spinning all the plates.

But here’s the thing: The only thing I was doing in those relentless seasons was draining my health, little by little, until it led to serious consequences—autoimmune issues, and even a stroke. Now that I’m older, I finally understand what my friend Dorothy said: Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.

We glorify hustle. We glamorize the grind. We tell ourselves we have to be bigger, better, faster, smarter, more strategic. But usually, all we end up being is more exhausted, more frustrated—and honestly, more broke. It’s wild how chasing after the things we think we need can make us lose the things we actually need.

I’ve watched people—myself included—lose relationships, health, even jobs, in pursuit of the almighty dollar. It’s crazy how much we can lose trying to chase success in our own strength.

But here’s what I’ve learned:
The key to finding what you truly want in life starts with the One who created you.
God put dreams and desires in you, and too often we try to chase those dreams on our own, instead of asking Him to partner with us. But when you partner with God, everything shifts. He wants to bring those things to life—not just someday, but now.

And sometimes, it’s in the season of rest—whether by choice or by complete burnout—that we finally begin to see clearly. That’s when God can finally move… because we’ve taken our hands off the wheel. We’ve stopped trying to control everything. And in that stillness, He can finally do what He’s wanted to do all along.

It’s not easy. And there’s no black-and-white roadmap. Everyone’s journey is different. But here’s what I do know:
There is a God who created you.
He sees you.
He loves you.
And He wants to partner with you to bring your life fully alive.

He doesn’t need you to do all the work—but He does need your yes.

So maybe today, at the start of a new month, take a moment to pause. Take inventory.
Where has the last eight months gone?
Are you where you thought you’d be by now?
Are you where you want to be?
Are you where you need to be?

If the answer is “no,” then maybe it’s time to pause, reflect, and ask: What needs to be pruned?
What can I let go of?
What am I still trying to control that God is asking me to surrender?

Maybe the most powerful thing you can do this month isn’t to do more—but to sit still and be.
To be present.
To be surrendered.
To be rested.
And to trust that God knows exactly what needs to happen before this year ends.

He knows what to cut back.
He knows what to water.
He knows how to grow you into the best version of you.

So maybe, just maybe, the one thing you need to release in this season… is control.

I know it’s scary—I had to do it too.
But I promise you this:
There is no better life than a life you co-create with God.

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