19 Comforting Bible Verses About Rest and Relaxation

Bible verses about rest are messages that the world desperately needs to hear today.

The world is so fast-paced that we barely notice days coming and going, weeks turning into months, etc.

So many things are happening in our lives and in the world all at the same time.

We often feel like we need rest, but we seldom find the time to get some.

Has rest become a luxury in today’s world, and if it is, should it be?

Let us see what the Bible says about this.

What are Bible Verses About Rest?

There are many Bible verses about rest that we can read, study, and comfort ourselves with.

They give us different lessons that we need to hear at varying points in our lives.

These Bible verses contain messages from God that remind us to rest or to care for our minds and bodies. 

God loves us and cares for us so much that He gave His life for us. It would break His heart if we did not take care of ourselves.

These Bible verses about rest tell us its benefits or what God thinks about us setting time aside to rest.

Why is Rest Important According to the Bible?

So we can focus on the things God wants for us.

When we feel so exhausted, we can barely focus on anything at times and cannot find rest.

We should remember that God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and He always wants the best for us, but because we cannot find rest, we cannot find the energy and sometimes even the will to do what is necessary to get the best for us.

We have to find time to rest to have time to do the things God wants us to do for ourselves and others.

So we can have more time for prayer and meditation.

Jesus spent time praying and meditating (Mark 1:35) when He was on earth because He knew how important these activities are in one’s life.

When we are too busy with different things, we will not have time to spend with God.

This can lead to even more exhaustion because we cannot experience the kind of rest from God. 

If we feel guilty about rest because we do not feel productive, we can spend that time with God, nurturing and deepening our faith in Him and building our relationship with Him.

This way, we will not feel like our time was wasted and we would have gained so much from our rest.

So we can take a step back and reflect.

When we are so focused on so many things, we fail to see the big picture, which can sometimes cause us to feel lost and unsure of what to do next.

This can, in turn, lead to feelings of frustration and self-doubt.

We must take time to step back and look at our lives, where we are now, where we want to go, and what we must do to get there. (Proverbs 27:19)

More often than not, we have what it takes to achieve our goals, but we get derailed by so many things happening around us, and it takes us way longer than necessary to complete them.

Unfortunately, we sometimes fail to achieve them, so let us always find the time to reflect and keep our vision sharp and focused.

Best Bible Verses About Rest

Bible verses about sleep and rest

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

We might be finding it hard to find rest because of all the burdens we carry, so let us learn to let them go at God’s feet and accept the rest that comes from Him.

Exodus 33:14

“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

There is nothing more reassuring than knowing God is with us every step of the way.

Exodus 34:21

“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest;

even during the plowing season and harvest, you must rest.”

It is mandated by God that we take one day of the week and dedicate it to rest and spending time with Him.

Proverbs 3:24

“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

God can bring peace and rest so precious in our lives that we will experience peace we have never known before.

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”

The peace that comes from Jesus is the kind that settles in the heart so that no matter what happens around us, we can rest and be at peace.

Bible verses about relaxation

Psalm 4:8

“In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

The Lord is always there to protect us and keep us safe; because of this, we know rest.

Philippians 4:7

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So many worries can attack our hearts and minds and rob us of our much-needed rest.

Let the peace of God come into your life, and never be weary again.

Psalm 23:1-2

“The Lord is my shepherd;

I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters.”

We have nothing to worry about with God because He cares for us well.

Jeremiah 31:25

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

God knows what we are feeling at any time, so we can be assured that He will work with us when we feel overwhelmed.

Bible verses about rest in the Lord

Psalm 91:1-2

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

It is difficult to find rest in an unsecured place, so resting in the presence of God is the ideal way to do so.

Revelations 14:13

“Then I heard a voice from heaven say,

“Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

We can always find rest in the Lord even after this life.

Joshua 21:44

“The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors.

Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands.”

At times, our enemies are outside, but sometimes, they can be inside us, too, and other times, we find that our enemies are ourselves.

Let us turn to God and experience the rest He gives us from our enemies on every side.

Psalm 116:7

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”

When we realize how God works in our lives, we sigh in relief and awe and rest in His great power and love.

Bible verses about rest for the body and soul

Psalm 127:2

“In vain, you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

If we work and do our best but do not do it with God, our work seems heavier and harder to complete.

Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”

The people who trust in the Lord will never be put to shame because God is not blind, and He appreciates and rewards those who spend their lives with Him.

Psalm 62:1

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.”

Sometimes, we feel like we cannot find rest because of our schedule, our lifestyle, or so many other things.

Let us keep in mind that proper rest and peace come from God.

Genesis 2:2-3

“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.”

God looked at everything He created and saw that it was good.

When everything was complete and beautiful,

God took a rest, a day off, to appreciate everything He did and spend time with them.

In Summary

Rest can feel elusive at times, but it is something that should always be in our lives lest we become burnt out.

We do not have to feel guilty for resting at times when God Himself took a rest after creating the world.

God knows the human body better than we can imagine, and we know that God commanded that we take one day each week for rest.

Rest does not have to sound evil or dirty or something that we do not deserve.

We all deserve some rest from time to time, no matter how big or small we have accomplished.

A music teacher once said, “Music sounds sweeter after a rest.”

EDITOR
Alex Shute
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.
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