The Sacred Pause: Honoring God Through Rest and Recovery

Hello, friends!

Today is Fat Tuesday which marks the beginning of the Lent season for the Christian faith and the fifth day of Ramadan for those of the Muslim faith. During this season of prayer, fasting, and reflection, I want to challenge you, dear reader, to remember the importance and necessity of rest.

In a culture that glorifies hustle and nonstop productivity, rest is often seen as laziness or weakness. However, rest is not only necessary for physical health but also a divine principle woven into the fabric of creation. In Genesis 2:2-3, God rested on the seventh day, not out of exhaustion, but to set a precedent for us. Jesus, too, modeled this when He withdrew from the crowds to pray and replenish Himself (Luke 5:16). If God’s example teaches us that rest is sacred, why do we resist it? True wellness—spiritual, mental, and physical—requires us to embrace rest as an act of faith.

Just as our bodies need movement to grow stronger, they also need recovery to heal and thrive. Overworking our muscles without giving them time to recover can lead to injury and diminished progress. The same is true for our spiritual lives. Constantly pouring out without refilling can leave us drained and ineffective. Rest is not about laziness; it is about sustainability. Whether it’s allowing our bodies to recover after a workout or taking a spiritual pause to reconnect with God, we must recognize that healing happens in the stillness.

For Black and Brown people, rest is often seen as an act of defiance. Persons of color have dealt with the stigma associated with our slothfulness and unwillingness to work when the contrary is true. We live in a world where the stereotype of laziness has been weaponized against us, despite our centuries of labor—both forced and underpaid—building nations that still refuse to honor our humanity. Tricia Hersey, in her masterful work Rest is Resistance, reminds us that rest is not just self-care—it is a form of resistance against a world that seeks to exploit our labor and deplete our spirits. Rest dismantles the lie that our worth is tied to how much we produce. It is a radical, God-ordained act of reclaiming our time, our bodies, and our dignity.

Practically, embracing rest can take many forms. It might look like stretching after an intense workout, incorporating active recovery days, or prioritizing sleep. Spiritually, it may mean setting aside quiet moments for prayer, reading scripture, or simply sitting in God’s presence without an agenda. Sabbath is more than a day—it is a mindset that says, "I trust God enough to pause." When we intentionally make space for rest, we create room for God to renew us from the inside out.

As a person who is constantly on the go with my itinerary for the year already piled up with engagements and obligations, I have begun a ritual of intentional rest. Every day, my phone goes on Do Not Disturb (DND) mode promptly at 10:00 pm. I use the time between 10-11:00 pm to decompress from my day. No phone calls or text messages or emails can come through. I usually sit in my room in silence for several minutes before picking up a book to read. Why do I do this? Because the phone is overstimulating and it directly correlates with insomnia and restlessness. In many Asian cultures, the art of silence and stillness is deeply valued as a path to wisdom, balance, and inner peace. Traditions such as Zen Buddhism emphasize quiet meditation (zazen) as a means of self-discovery and enlightenment, while practices like Tai Chi and Qi Gong teach the power of slow, intentional movement and breathwork to cultivate harmony between the body and spirit. These traditions remind us that stillness is not emptiness—it is a sacred space where renewal and clarity emerge.

As you move through your health and faith journey, consider how well you honor the sacred pause. Are you allowing yourself the rest you need, or are you pushing through exhaustion? God has designed your body and spirit to function best when work and rest are in balance. Lean into the wisdom of divine recovery, and you will find that true strength is not just in the striving—it is also in the stillness.