Matthew 11:28–30 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, and I love the wording in The Message translation. As you read, be reminded that these are Jesus’ words, his invitation to us.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?

Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.

I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

I’m not sure about you, but I normally describe my life—and my days—as pretty heavy. There is a lot going on both personally and collectively in our world, and I resonate with the adjectives described at the beginning of the verses: tired, worn out, burned out.

It can be easy to either forget the invitation Jesus is offering or to think of it as too good to be true. But the truth is that this really is the offer on the table—an invitation to recover our lives, to take a real rest, to walk with Jesus, to live freely and lightly.

That’s one of the reasons observing the Sabbath is a gift, meant to heal and restore us. It invites us into rest and trust instead of pushing, going and striving, which leads to burnout. The word “Sabbath” comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat,” and it literally means “to stop.” We need to stop and take a rest from all the things we are worrying about, and all the work we are doing. We need to stop and rest in order to be restored.

Application

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap! If you are exhausted right now, take a 20-minute nap. If you feel energized and don’t need actual sleep, take a 20-minute rest for your mind and soul. Get in a comfortable position, put your phone away, and pray or read.

Go Deeper Resources

Check out Sabbath Rest by Dr. Tim Mackie, available on The Bible Project.