“Ugh, look at my dining room! I need to make time to paint those dingy walls.”

“You know, the bathrooms in this house are disgusting. I really should be deep cleaning them right now.”

“The seasons are changing … I need to get the kids’ clothes switched over. And I probably need to size them up in coats.”

Have you ever experienced thoughts like this while trying to relax?

This is just a small sample of the deluge that was running through my mind this past weekend. It’s been a hectic season, and while I was trying to rest on the couch, I was constantly interrupted by both the lovely people I live with and the never-ending garble of thoughts burbling through my brain.

Even when I “rest,” I rest in worry. I rest in anxiety. Taking time to recharge? Not my strong suit.

That’s something I never really understood about Jesus. He seems to have been great at resting! In the Bible, there are many documented instances of Jesus taking a break. Near the beginning of his ministry, Jesus was so tired from traveling that he rested at a well alone while his disciples went into town (John 4:6). He slept on a boat after healing many people (Matthew 8:23-25). He often went off alone to pray in quiet places in times of stress or grief (Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:31,32). He kept the Sabbath and other Jewish festivals, taking time for recreation and relaxation with those he loved (Luke 22). That’s all well and good—but why?

As someone who was raised in the high-achieving, frenetic American culture, I never really grasped why Jesus would “take it easy.” Isn’t he God? Didn’t he know he was only going to work in the public ministry for about three years on earth before his death? He didn’t have a lot of time! All this documented resting in the Bible seems sort of … weak.

It has taken this swamped time of my life to show me that resting isn’t weak—it’s vital.

We are all sinful people and will never be able to quiet negative voices in our heads. We can strive to be more like Jesus every day, but we are human. We will worry. We will get tired, physically and emotionally, and look to anything else except for Jesus to soothe us.

Jesus knew this. Because he was the only person in history to be both God and man, he was able to do something about it. Jesus came down from heaven and lived a perfect, exhausting life on earth in our place. He modeled practical things for us, such as how to rest when we are working hard to further God’s kingdom, and he conquered spiritual things for us, such as our inborn sin and shame. Because of this, we don’t have to fear death. Because of Jesus, there is nothing to worry about.

Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil means you don’t have to rest in anxiety like I did over the weekend. You don’t have to drown in busyness to prove anything to anyone. Resting doesn’t show you are weak. It shows that you respect the life and work God gave you enough to be a good steward of both of those things. Because of Jesus, you are worthy of love and belonging in this life and the life to come. Through him, you are worthy of rest!

So when you are tired—pray. When you are drowning—crack open the Bible and spend some time with the Creator of the universe who cares enough about you to send his Son in your place. When you are stressed—physically rest! Go to sleep! As it says in Psalm 4:8: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” When you are worried—shut off the noise of the world, power off your phone, and marvel that God has given you the life in your body to live another day. Rest in peace instead of worry because God has done it all.