Is It Rest or Avoidance?
Tuesday, July 2, 2025
This verse is such a beautiful contradiction on the surface, right? “Strive to enter rest.” At first, it seems like it doesn’t make sense—but when you sit with it, it starts to reveal a deeper truth. Rest, the kind God offers, isn’t passive. It’s not lazy or indifferent. It’s a posture of deep trust. It’s surrender that takes effort because we’re not naturally inclined to let go. Real rest, the kind God invites us into, requires intentionality. It requires faith. It requires us to stop striving in our own strength, so we can step into divine alignment.
The Sacred Difference Between Rest and Avoidance
Let’s talk honestly—how often have you told yourself, “I’m just taking a break,” when in reality, you were avoiding something that felt overwhelming? I know I’ve been there. It might be a big decision you’re putting off, a hard conversation you’re dreading, or a dream God gave you that feels way too big to carry. And instead of naming it as fear or hesitation, we call it rest. But the truth is, there’s a big difference between resting and retreating.
God created rest as a rhythm. From the very beginning, in Genesis, we see Him rest—not because He needed to—but because He was modeling wholeness, satisfaction, and divine completion. But when we avoid something God is calling us to face, we’re not stepping into that sacred rest. We’re hiding.
Avoidance is what happened in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve, full of shame, tried to cover themselves and disappear from God’s presence. It’s what Jonah did when he ran from Nineveh. It’s what Elijah did after one of the greatest spiritual victories in his life—when fear and exhaustion took over, and he collapsed under a tree, asking God to take his life.
But here’s what I love about God: He didn’t reject Elijah. He didn’t shame him. He sent an angel with food and water. He let him sleep. And then—He gently called him back into purpose. That’s the God we serve. One who knows the weight we carry and still whispers us back into alignment when we’ve drifted.
Your Brain’s Response: Avoidance vs. True Rest
Let’s zoom out for a moment and talk about how your brain responds to stress and pressure. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, your amygdala—the brain’s fear center—kicks into high gear. It sends a message that something is unsafe, and your nervous system responds with one of three reactions: fight, flight, or freeze.
Avoidance is a form of “flight.” And the tricky thing is that it feels like relief. When you scroll endlessly, binge-watch something, or over-plan without acting, your body interprets that as safety—because you’ve removed the immediate threat. But over time, your brain wires itself to believe that inaction is safety. It trains you to hesitate. To disconnect. To doubt.
Now compare that with what happens when you engage in true, restorative rest. When you breathe deeply, sit in stillness, journal honestly, or let God speak into your weary places, your nervous system shifts into a regulated state. That’s your parasympathetic system at work. It calms you, grounds you, and makes it easier to think clearly, pray sincerely, and move intentionally.
Avoidance creates confusion and builds resistance. Rest builds clarity and restores strength.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
I want to ask you something simple but important: Have you been calling it “rest” when it’s really retreat?
Sometimes we say things like, “I’m waiting on God,” when really, we’re waiting for the fear to go away. We’re delaying because we don’t feel ready. But what if God is saying, “I’m already in your next step. I’m not waiting for you to be perfect—I’m waiting for you to move.”
There’s a term in psychology called the “Window of Tolerance.” It describes the space where your nervous system can function calmly and effectively. When you’re inside that window, you’re present. You can process what’s happening. You can choose wisely. But when stress, trauma, or pressure pushes you outside of that window, you either spiral into panic or shut down into numbness. Avoidance keeps you out of that window. Rest brings you back into it.
So if you’ve been feeling stuck lately, check in with your nervous system. Ask yourself: “Am I truly being refreshed, or am I shrinking away from something I’m afraid of?” One path brings healing. The other delays the help God’s trying to give you.
Name What’s Really Going On
Let’s slow it down for a moment and coach through this together—no pressure, just presence.
I want you to sit with a question that may seem simple on the surface, but can go deep if you let it:
What am I actually avoiding?
Take a breath here. Don’t rush past this. There’s often more going on under the surface than we realize. Maybe you’ve been calling it “rest,” but deep down, there’s a weight you haven’t named yet. A conversation you’re hesitant to have. A step you’ve been delaying. A nudge you keep quieting because it doesn’t feel safe. Sometimes what we’re avoiding isn’t even something huge—it’s the vulnerability of being seen, the fear of messing up, or the pressure to get it all right.
And if you’re anything like me, it can feel easier to retreat than to risk. Easier to stay busy doing “safe” things than to move toward the thing that feels holy but heavy.
But here’s what I want to remind you of: avoidance isn’t rest. It might feel like relief in the moment, but it won’t refresh you. In fact, it drains you over time because somewhere in your spirit, you already know—you’re meant to face that thing. You’re meant to walk forward, even if your steps are shaky. Even if you don’t have it all figured out.
This is not about doing more for the sake of hustle. This is about trusting more—trusting that God is already in your next step. Trusting that obedience doesn’t require perfection, just participation.
Real rest—the kind that brings peace and clarity—doesn’t pull you away from your purpose. It prepares you for it. It makes room for your soul to breathe again. It gives you the courage to rise, refreshed, instead of constantly circling the same mountain in exhaustion.
So today, as your coach and friend, I want to challenge you to ask yourself again, gently but honestly:
“What am I actually avoiding—and what would it look like to take one small step forward instead?”
God is not standing on the other side of your fear with a checklist. God is right here with you, inviting you to shift—not in shame, but in grace.
A Simple Spiritual Practice
Now let’s take this reflection from your head and into your body. Your nervous system needs to feel what your spirit already knows: that you are safe, held, and deeply loved. That you can breathe. That you can pause without disconnecting.
Here’s a short practice I call a “Daily Rest Reset.” It’s designed to bring your whole self—mind, body, and spirit—back into alignment with peace.
Try This,
Find a quiet space. Sit comfortably, close your eyes if it feels good, and place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Just notice your breath for a few moments.
Inhale slowly for 4 seconds, through your nose, and quietly say to yourself, “God, I receive Your rest.”
Hold that breath for 4 seconds, and affirm in your heart, “I am safe with You.”
Exhale gently through your mouth for 6 seconds, and release with these words, “I release avoidance.”
Repeat this breath cycle three times. Don’t rush. Let your shoulders soften. Let your jaw unclench. Let your body remember what it feels like to be safe again.
After you finish the breathwork, grab your journal or the notes app on your phone and respond to this question,
“Where have I been avoiding movement that God is inviting me into?”
Write freely. You don’t need to edit or explain. This isn’t about pressure—this is about awareness.
Ask God to meet you in what you uncover. Let the Holy Spirit gently show you where you’ve been hiding out of fear and where God’s rest is waiting to restore you. Then ask for courage—not to leap ahead—but simply to take the next right step.
Let this moment be a rhythm you return to, not a ritual you feel burdened to perform. Because your rest is not a reward for getting everything right. It’s a right that God freely offers you as a beloved creation.
Affirmations for Today
I no longer confuse avoidance with rest. I am learning to rest and rise in rhythm with God.
My body is safe, my mind is sound, and my spirit is being restored.
I am moving forward—gently, faithfully, and fully awake.
Reflection Questions
What have I been calling “rest” that’s actually been rooted in fear or avoidance?
How does my body respond when I’m avoiding something versus when I’m truly resting?
What does it look like for me to enter into holy rest today?
Prayer Targets
God, help me discern the difference between when You are calling me to pause and when I am pausing out of fear.
Holy Spirit, give me the courage to move when I’ve been stuck and the grace to rest when I’ve been striving.
Jesus, reset my rhythms and restore my confidence in You.
Song of the Day
Let this be your invitation today: to stop hiding and start receiving. Let the lyrics minister to you as you surrender.
Let’s connect. Not just in the comments, not just with a double tap. I want to know what’s been on your heart. Let’s talk, dream out loud, pray if you need it, laugh if you feel like it, just real space for real conversation.
Listen to Meditation
Become a Dream Sponsor Here