How To Find Rest In God When You're Busy

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Do you know how to find rest in God while staying focused on what He’s called you to do? I didn’t either, at first.

It was the summer of 2017 when I finally admitted to myself that I was worn thin. I was sitting there—laptop perched on my knees at 11:30 pm, three empty tea mugs scattered like quiet witnesses around my living room—still trying to finish client work due the next morning.

My quiet time? Non-existent.
My Bible app streak? A solid zero.
The devotionals I’d once been so excited to dive into? Gathering dust beside my bed while I raced through deadlines and chased the next paid invoice.

“This is what it looks like to be intentional,” I told myself. But deep down, I knew something was off. The peace that once anchored me felt distant. I was striving, not surrendering. I was moving fast, but I wasn’t rooted.

In the middle of all the noise and deadlines, I had slowly lost the steady rhythm of resting in Christ—the very thing that once gave me strength.

That night, with tears on my cheeks and fingers still tapping away, I knew something had to shift. I didn’t need to quit the work God had entrusted to me—but I did need to relearn how to do it with Him, not just for Him.

If you’re a woman trying to live out your faith while keeping up with the demands of real life—if your soul feels stretched between your prayer list and your to-do list—this post is for you. I’ve been there (and honestly, some days I still circle back), but I’ve found simple, practical ways to rest in Jesus while still showing up faithfully in the work He’s given me.

Let’s talk about what it really looks like to find peace, purpose, and focus in the middle of the mess—and how you, too, can flourish with grace over hustle.

Table of Contents show

The Tug-of-War Between Culture and Calling

Before we get into the practical ways I’ve learned to find rest in God while showing up fully in my work, we need to name what’s quietly shaping our expectations.

We live in a world that glorifies non-stop doing.

The 5 a.m. wake-ups.
The packed planners.
The back-to-back commitments.
The ever-growing to-do list that somehow never gets shorter.

But then, Jesus gently whispers,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

These two rhythms—the one the world pushes, and the one God invites us into—can feel like they’re pulling us in opposite directions. As if we must choose: either be productive or be peaceful. Either do meaningful work or find rest for our souls.

But here’s what I’ve come to realise:
It’s not either/or—it’s both/and.

God doesn’t call us to strive or scramble, nor does He ask us to sit in stillness 24/7. There’s a sacred space in between—a pace of grace—where we can be faithful with what’s in our hands and still rooted in His rest.

That’s the rhythm I want to walk in. And today, I’m sharing seven gentle, practical ways I’ve learned to anchor myself in God’s rest, even in the midst of real-life demands.

Redefine What “Rest in Christ” Really Means

For the longest time, I thought resting in God meant sitting quietly with my Bible and a warm cup of tea—preferably with soft worship music in the background. And while those moments are undeniably sacred (and yes, tea still makes a regular appearance!), I’ve learned that real rest in Christ goes far beyond the quiet-time aesthetic.

Rest is more than an activity—it’s a posture.
It’s the steady, grounded trust that Jesus is Lord over my schedule, my responsibilities, and the outcomes I can’t control.

Resting in Him means I don’t have to strive to make everything happen in my own strength. It’s remembering that my work is worship when it flows from a heart that’s surrendered to Him.

It’s not about working less—it’s about working with God, not just for Him.

A Simple Shift to Try:

Before I dive into emails or tasks, I pause and pray,
“Lord, this day belongs to You. Let me be faithful, not frantic. Lead every word I type and every task I touch. Help me stay rooted in You—even as I work.”

Schedule Margin Like Your Soul Depends on It (Because It Does)

For years, I lived in “go mode.” If there was a spare 15 minutes, I filled it. If a meeting ended early, I opened another tab. White space felt like wasted space.

But here’s the truth I had to learn the hard way:
Margin isn’t laziness—it’s obedience.

We need quiet, uncluttered space to hear from God. To be refreshed. To be realigned.

Creating room to breathe is a way of honouring God with our time. It’s saying, “I trust You enough not to fill every single minute. You are enough—and I don’t have to chase every task to feel worthy.”

A Simple Shift to Try:

I now leave a 20-minute buffer around meetings and calls, and I protect one afternoon a week as “holy ground.” That’s unmovable, God-first space.

Sometimes it’s a walk.

Other times it’s prayer, journaling, or just resting in silence.

But always, it’s margin that nourishes my soul and recentres my spirit.

Invite God into Your Work, Not Just Your Quiet Time

For years, I lived with a mental divide: faith happened during quiet time, and work was… well, just work. I didn’t realise how much I was missing by keeping them separate.

But resting in God doesn’t mean pausing life to meet Him only in the still moments. It means inviting Him to walk with you through your day.

Now, I see my work as a Spirit-led partnership. Whether I’m planning a lesson, replying to emails, or ticking off admin tasks, I ask, “Lord, how can I honour You in this?”

It’s not about making work more “spiritual”—it’s about surrendering it.

A Simple Shift to Try:

Each morning, I lay my to-do list before God.
“Here it is, Lord. These are the tasks on my plate today. Please lead, guide, and help me carry each one with Your grace.”
Suddenly, it’s not just my work anymore—it’s our work.

Establish a Sabbath Rhythm That Anchors You

There was a season when the idea of Sabbath felt… impossible. I told myself I’d rest once everything was done—but everything was never done.

Now I see Sabbath not as a reward for productivity, but a gift that sustains it.

God invites us into rhythms of rest. Not as a suggestion, but as a loving command to stop striving and simply be. It’s a holy pause that reminds us: He’s in control, not our calendars.

Sabbath says, “I trust You enough to stop.”

A Simple Shift to Try:

I’ve carved out a 24-hour Sabbath window—Sunday evening to Monday evening—and it’s sacred. My laptop stays shut. My phone goes on “do not disturb.”

No hustling.

Absolutely no producing.

Just resting, worshipping, and enjoying the stillness with God.

Swap Hustle Metrics for Faithfulness Measures

One of the most freeing shifts I’ve made in learning how to rest in God while staying committed to my work has been changing how I measure success.

I used to track income, follower counts, email subscribers, and client wins like they were proof of my worth. And if the numbers dipped, so did my peace.

But now, I ask better questions:

Did I honour God with my work?

Was I faithful today?

Did I serve with love and listen for His guidance along the way?

This new lens doesn’t ignore results—but it places faithfulness over frenzy. It gently reminds me that God cares more about how I walk with Him than how fast I check off goals.

A Simple Shift to Try:

At the end of each day, I pause and journal these three questions:

How did I notice God’s presence today?

Who did I serve with grace or kindness?

Where did I need to surrender control and trust God more?

These prompts keep my heart anchored in purpose and peace—regardless of what my inbox looks like.

Make Space to Lament and Wrestle Honestly

Resting in God isn’t about bottling up your feelings and slapping a Bible verse on top. The Psalms show us that true rest often begins with honest lament.

Crying out.

Questioning.

Wrestling.

It’s all welcome with God.

And that raw, unfiltered honesty?

It’s actually a sign of trust.

When work feels heavy, when disappointment hits, when your plans unravel—bring it all into His presence. He’s not asking you to be fine. He’s inviting you to be real.

A Simple Shift to Try:

I’ve started keeping a wrestling prayer journal. It’s where I pour out my fears, frustrations, and every “Why is this so hard?” moment I face in my work.

It isn’t polished. It’s not perfect.

But it’s where I’ve found some of the deepest rest—because I’m not carrying it alone anymore.

Build a Faith-Centred Circle of Women Who Get It

Resting in Christ was never meant to be a solo journey. We need safe spaces and kindred hearts—other women who understand what it’s like to carry a calling, juggle real-life responsibilities, and still long to stay deeply rooted in Jesus.

We need voices that speak truth when our minds get noisy, women who’ll pray over our business decisions, celebrate our tiny wins, and remind us to return to God when our hearts wander.

A Simple Shift to Try:

I connect every few months online with three other Christian women in business. We share what’s been hard, pray over each other’s work, and gently hold each other accountable to stay grounded in our relationship with God even when life is full.

These moments don’t fix everything, but they anchor me back to what matters.

Final Thoughts

Find your rhythm of faith and work.

So, how do we rest in God while meeting the real demands of our daily lives?

Here’s what I’ve learned: it’s not a perfect formula. It’s a rhythm. A holy rhythm of showing up, surrendering, pausing, and starting again.

Some days, I feel aligned—unhurried, anchored, at peace. Other days, I feel scattered and slip into striving mode without even realising.

But God’s grace meets me in both places.

The beauty of learning to rest in Him isn’t about getting it “just right.” It’s about staying close. It’s about presence—His with us, and ours with Him—even when our days are filled with spreadsheets, meetings, and content calendars.

That tear-streaked night back in 2017, slumped over my laptop, I couldn’t have imagined the peace I’d find by surrendering my need to do it all… to the One who holds it all.

Resting in Christ doesn’t mean abandoning your work. It means infusing it with purpose, presence, and peace.

If you’re wrestling with that balance right now, I want you to know this:

You were never meant to do everything. Honestly, you were called to do the right things—with God, not just for Him.

So exhale, friend. Your work matters. And so does your soul.

Resting isn’t weakness—it’s worship.

Which of these simple shifts speaks to your heart today? Let’s talk about it in the comments—I’d love to hear how you’re navigating your rhythm of rest and responsibility.

And one last thing to remember?

Even Jesus withdrew to quiet places to pray and be refreshed, and He had the most important mission in history.

You, too, are allowed to pause. You’re also invited into holy rest.

Let’s flourish faithfully, together.