Rest: The Dance of Faith
Why advancement in the kingdom of God comes through surrender, not hustle
In my previous post, I explored why rest is appointed and blessed by God: as seen in Scripture. He even models it for us, choosing a day of rest in the midst of His own creative work.
Many people approach the idea of rest with hesitation or skepticism. This is especially true for those who value “hard work” and struggle to see the purpose of resting in the Lord.
Rest is not necessarily complacency. In fact, for the believer, rest often requires far more faith than any self-made plan for success does.
King David himself held this very revelation.
Psalm 37 was written in the later years of his life, after he had survived countless threats to his throne, won improbable victories, and expanded Israel’s territory to its greatest extent.
Yet in this acrostic psalm, reminiscent of the poetic style of Proverbs, the wise king offers this profound advice:
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass... rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way.”
This passage implies that much of our stress and overwork comes from comparing ourselves to others - especially those who seem to prosper through unrighteousness.
Perhaps more importantly, the Hebrew word translated as “wait patiently” in Psalm 37 does not suggest passivity or laziness. It can also mean “to dance”, “to twist”, or “to whirl”.
The point is, through David’s poem, God is inviting us into a kind of rest that is active, dynamic, and requires more faith than simply working harder in our own strength.
Counterintuitively, this kind of rest in the Lord actually unlocks advancement and promotion. Psalm 37 continues on to say: “Hope in the Lord, and keep His way. He will exalt you to inherit the land.”
As one church leader I respect says, “all advancement in the Kingdom comes through surrender. We yield our way into breakthrough.”
Those who do not walk with the Lord do not have access to His strength and grace in this way, but we are cautioned to not mimic their ways. Productivity hacks that steal our peace were never designed for God’s people.
The Lord warns us against the kind of work that is often celebrated by today’s go-getters. This statement in Psalm 127 should be sobering to anyone who feels pressure to “hustle”:
"It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.”
But what about all the other verses and parables that emphasize hard work, diligence, and good stewardship? Surely those are true as well, some might ask. Yes - in measure they are - but they are counterbalanced by the rest God has designed for us.
Scripture without relationship can point you in many different directions - just look at how Satan quoted the Bible to tempt Jesus into striving and performing outside the Father’s will. In these moments, it becomes clear that a relationship with the Author of the Word is required to discern what he is highlighting to you in this season.
So how do we begin partnering with the Lord through rest? A good place to start is by asking Him to show you any areas of your life where you already feel convicted.
Honoring the Sabbath for what it was intended to be - a day of rest - should be non-negotiable. Beyond that, where else in your life would choosing to lay down “productivity” feel like a genuine sacrifice in favor of His presence?
In what times of life would you benefit most from His security rather than your own stress?
Often, the Lord calls us to rest at the very moment when we feel we can least afford to stop. This when we arrive at the ultimate test: faith versus striving.
Resting in these times also allows us to hear what God is already blessing, and not just constantly asking him to bless what we’re doing.
This is why I believe rest can be a very active experience - one demands great faith and motion with the Lord, and which leads to unreasonable advancement. More on that in my next post.