Reset Your Rhythm: Finding Rest from Anxiety and Stress

The Father never intended for us to be remote-controlled by the external demands of the world. As believers in Christ, we confess that we may be in the world, but not of it, yet sometimes our lives reflect more of society’s influence than our Savior because they lack rest (John 17:14-16).

While rest is often underrated and postponed through comical memes that tout that we can “rest we’re dead,” we don’t realize the negative implications of these casual statements. If we don’t cultivate a rhythm that embraces rest, that is exactly what will happen. Stress, anxiety, and worry can be detrimental to our physical bodies, our spirits, and the state of our souls, the place where our minds and emotions live.

Although society promotes hustle, the words of Jesus prioritize rest. Our world’s preoccupation with external trappings doesn’t look like the kingdom of God, where the Bible says that we will experience the internal abundance of righteousness, peace, and joy. Even if we might not be living the fullness of that promise presently, we must realize that Jesus has already accomplished the work on our behalf.

We don’t have to consistently wrestle, weary in body and soul, exhausted from taking care and control while we neglect the business of our own soul’s health. His finished work on the Cross symbolized that we can simply believe in Him, follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and experience fruitfulness without toil, trying to perform in our strength.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. – Romans 14:17, NIV

Maintain your margin

Maintaining the effectiveness of any machine is contingent on its maintenance. When the volume of life is blasting, we can’t diagnose what is malfunctioning in our own soul’s motor when we don’t detect the Lord’s still small voice (1 Kings 19:12).

The Holy Spirit desires to engage us and stimulate our awareness of areas for healing, growth, and change. He may be calling us aside to experience a soul reset, but frequently, we become distracted with activity instead of communing with Him and our souls in rest (James 4:8). The demands of stress, anxiety, and worry squeeze out the margins where we would otherwise be able to reset rhythms and resume productivity at a sustainable pace.

Manage distraction

If we want to be productive and fruitful, we have to be more intentional about managing distractions. Often, they surface as a little time here, a little more energy or attention there, to activities that don’t align with our priorities. However, once the time is gone, it’s gone. We can’t get it back, but we can trust God to help us to steward what He’s given us. Prioritizing Him enables us to redeem or make the best use of the balance, not only concerning how we budget time but also the other resources within our reach.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. – Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV

Make room for rest

The call to rest is a premier invitation that Jesus has extended: to abandon stress and striving, surrender anxiety and worry, and instead come to Him and leave our cares and burdens. When we consider the pace of culture and its values, it can be tempting to keep up as we don’t want to miss out on the latest update or trend. However, it is this state of constantly being “on” enslaves us to the world and its pace.

 

We can decide to disengage from distraction and reclaim purposeful intimacy with the Holy Spirit and the authority to navigate our lives with Him. That develops in the secret place where we make time to encounter restoration through prayer, stillness, and soul-renewing solitude.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. – Matthew 11:28-29, ESV

Next steps for finding rest from anxiety and stress

Sometimes, stress, anxiety, and worry provoke you to miss out on the most important developments of all: what is happening within your soul. Consuming yourself with external cares and ignoring internal wellness will bankrupt you. God, however, wants to infuse your life with His Presence to experience true soul wealth and prosperity.

Reject the pressure to figure it out on your own, but rather receive the help that God is extending to you now. Search the resources on this site, seek a counselor, and schedule an appointment so you can reconnect, rest, and reset your soul’s rhythm.