I Choose Today to Rest in the Renewal

There are seasons when the most spiritual thing we can do… is simply rest.

Not quit.

Not disengage.

Not abandon what God has asked of us.

Just rest.

Because renewal doesn’t happen when we push harder — it happens when we pause long enough to hear God whisper again.

Lately, my mind has felt full in all the ways yours probably has too — commitments, people depending on me, ministry deadlines, speaking events, and all the good things that come with serving… but can still quietly drain us if we aren’t careful.

And in the middle of all of it, God has been reminding me:

“Rest is not a reward. It’s a response.”

A response to His presence.

A response to His invitation.

A response to His gentle leading that says, “You don’t have to carry this alone.”

My husband is so good at pulling me away from my endless to-do list. Every time I get buried in writing, editing, recording, mentoring, or preparing for an event, he gently steps in and says:

“Come on. Let’s get out for a bit.”

And I’ll be honest… I resist almost every time.

But then we take a slow walk around the pond… or wander through a bookstore… or sit together on the back porch and watch the birds move across the yard like God’s creativity unfolding in real time.

Somewhere in those moments, my shoulders drop.

My breathing slows.

My thoughts shift.

And suddenly, Philippians 4:8 becomes more than a verse — it becomes an invitation:

“Fix your thoughts on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable… excellent and praiseworthy.”

Because rest makes room for God to renew the mind.

Not by forcing different thoughts… but by giving our minds space to settle, breathe, and remember what is lovely and true again.

We often treat rest like it’s optional — something we can squeeze in after the work is done.

But Jesus didn’t live that way. He withdrew to lonely places. He stepped away from crowds. He paused, prayed, breathed, and let the Father renew Him.

Rest is part of spiritual formation. It shapes our inner world so we can keep going with clarity, gentleness, and strength.

Rest is where transformation settles in.

Because even when we stop, God doesn’t.

He is still working in the waiting.

Still speaking in the quiet.

Still renewing the mind that releases its grip long enough to say,

“Lord, I want to think with You, not just for You.”

Today’s Step:

Take 10 minutes today to breathe and let your mind rest. No music. No noise. No agenda. Just stillness.

Pray:

“Lord, slow me down so I can hear You again. Quiet the noise in my mind, renew my thoughts with what is true and lovely, and help me carry Your peace into the rest of my day.”

Set a timer if you need to. And when those minutes are over, pay attention to what shifts in your heart. Sometimes transformation doesn’t start with action — it starts with rest.

If you’d like to hear the full episode of I Choose Today to Rest in the Renewal, you can listen on your favorite podcast platform — and now also on YouTube Podcasts by searching I Choose Today.