How to Find Rest When You Feel Profoundly Exhausted

Published by helloredds@gmail.com on 08/19/2025 08/19/2025

How to Find Rest When You Feel Profoundly Exhausted.

Friend, I see you.

You’ve got a list a mile long, and somehow the day never seems to have enough hours to check off all those boxes. Believe me, I understand. The rushing, the doing, the going—some days, it feels as if I stop for even a moment, I’ll fall behind and then flat on my face.

And yet, God whispers, Be still.

Are you like me, though? Do you struggle to be still? Because I’ll confess that there’s this pressure—mostly self-imposed—to be productive pretty much all of the time. It’s almost as if I need to justify my presence with productivity. And if I’m not busy, guilt and doubts of my own self-worth creep in.

Defined by God

But those feelings and doubts are not of God. In fact, identity, as He defines it, has nothing to do with productivity. Our identity is defined by Him. We are created in His image and called to be His chosen people (Genesis 1:27, 1 Peter 2:9).

That’s our identity. We step into our true identity when we believe, trust, and follow Him. 

The Invitation

When God invites us to be still, it’s actually more of a command: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 niv). Then, later in the New Testament, Jesus renews that invitation with this gentle call: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NIV). 

Why the command? Why the invitation? Because He knows what our weary souls so desperately need.

The Wild & Wonderful Part

Here’s the wild & wonderful part: When I do pause and take those moments to be still with Him, the God of heaven steps down to meet me in them. Me!

He knows how unworthy I am, and yet He steps down to meet me—and not just meet me, but He also floods my heart with His peace. To renew and refill and restore everything that this world and my quest to be productive have drained away. 

And the beautiful irony is that when I take time to rest in God’s presence, I come back more focused, more productive, more able to discern what really matters. It’s as if time expands, and I’m able to accomplish more of the things that really matter. (Can’t you just hear God chuckling a little at that?)

What I’m Learning About Stillness

But let’s be honest. Stillness can be hard. Distractions creep in. My mind whirls with lists, worries, and half-finished thoughts. 

Here’s what I’m learning, though: Stillness with God doesn’t always look like sitting perfectly quiet with folded hands. For me, it sometimes means a walk out under the trees, marveling at His creation.

For you, it might be a stolen moment tucked away in a cozy chair, a whispered prayer in the car, or even a pause in the laundry room while the dryer hums. Stillness is less about what our bodies are doing and more about the posture of our hearts—turning our attention fully to God.

Permission to Pause – How to Find Rest When You Feel Profoundly Exhausted

Friend, give yourself permission to pause.

Wherever you are today—in the office, in the carpool line, toddler on your hip, or to-do list in your hand—pause for just a moment.

Breathe in His presence.

Rest in His promises.

Be still with God. He’s ready and waiting to meet with you.

Prayer

Help me, Lord, to step into Your presence. Away from the running and racing of the world. To be still with You. Silence the whispers of this world and chase away the distractions. As I sit here, seeking You, I claim that ancient-yet-unchanging promise: When I seek, You will be found. Amen.

—excerpted from Prayers for Each Moment, by Tama Fortner

https://www.tamafortner.com/prayers-for-each-moment

About the Author: Tama Fortner

TAMA FORTNER is an ECPA award-winning and bestselling author with more than sixty titles to her credit.

Her latest release is Prayers for Each Moment:100 Conversations with God About Real Life and Real Stuff, a collection of prayers written to inspire and encourage readers to step into conversation with God and invite Him into all the moments of their lives. 

Tama has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Christian publishing to create inspirational books for all ages. But her greatest accomplishments happen in a happy little home on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her family and two feisty little pups who are convinced they’re people too. Learn more at www.TamaFortner.com.

Connect with Tama:

https://www.tamafortner.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TamaFortnerBooks/

https://www.instagram.com/tamafortnerbooks/ 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/589006.Tama_Fortner 

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