When Rest Looks Ridiculous But Feels Like Heaven
I should’ve been curled in the fetal position. The situation was spiraling—fast. Everything that could go wrong was going wrong. And yet, in the middle of the chaos, I felt it.
Not anxiety. Not fear.
Peace.
But not just any peace—a freaky, unexplainable, doesn’t-make-sense kind of peace.
The kind that silences the inner scream.
The kind that can only come from God.
The kind that makes people tilt their heads and ask, “How are you okay right now?”
Have you ever experienced it? If you have, you know it’s not a product of denial or escapism. It’s deeper. Stronger. More real than the storm that’s battering your boat.
This is the peace Jesus spoke of in John 14:27:
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (NIV)
It’s otherworldly. Divine. And it’s our inheritance.
But in a world that thrives on hurry, thrives on noise, thrives on earning and striving, living from that place of divine rest can feel like rebellion.
Honestly, it’s supposed to.
Because God’s rest contradicts the hustle. It contradicts fear. It contradicts religion. It contradicts every counterfeit identity we’ve worn just to survive.
And it’s not passive. It’s not weak. It’s powerful. It’s healing. It’s transformational.
It’s the very soil where godly relationships, deep inner healing, and Spirit-led destiny take root and flourish.
But before we embrace that kind of rest, we have to confront the noise.
The noise of “not enough.”
The noise of “too much.”
The noise of “hurry up and prove yourself.”
The noise that drowns out the whisper of Love.
So, let’s talk about the kind of peace that doesn’t ask for permission. The kind that shows up uninvited—because Love is relentless like that. And let’s explore how we can live from that place, not just visit it when life forces us to our knees.
Rest Isn’t Passive—It’s a Weapon
I used to think rest meant disengaging. Like I was surrendering to the mess. Maybe you’ve thought that too?
But the rest God offers isn’t about giving up.
It’s about plugging into something far more powerful than the noise.
It’s about yoking with Christ and letting Him do the heavy lifting. It’s about partnering with the Prince of Peace until your soul starts to mirror His calm.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
—Matthew 11:28-29 (NASB)
Rest is active in the Spirit. It’s a position of radical trust.
It says:
- I don’t have to be enough—because He is.
- I don’t have to earn—because I’ve already been chosen.
- I don’t have to fix everything—because I’m not the Savior. He is.
That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.
And it creates an atmosphere where godly relationships can actually thrive. Why? Because you’re no longer relating to others from a place of striving, insecurity, or performance.
You’re relating from identity. From oneness. From Love.
Let’s break it down practically. Living from divine rest means:
- You operate from your sonship status favored by your heavenly Father. You are secure in the favor of God, His pleasure and His affirmation.
- You stop people-pleasing. You’re not driven by approval because you know you’re already approved by God.
- You give grace—freely. Because you’ve stopped earning it yourself.
- You listen better. Because the inner clamor has been quieted by peace.
- You stop trying to fix others. And trust Holy Spirit to do what only He can do.
Can you imagine what would happen if more of us lived like this? Our families, churches, and communities would look radically different.
Because godly relationships are born in the soil of peace—not pressure.
Learning to Live From Union, Not From the Noise Stemming from a Sense of Separation.
The world screams for your attention. Your soul aches for silence.
But even more than that—your spirit longs for connection.
Divine rest isn’t a self-help strategy. It’s the natural byproduct of union with Christ.
“Whoever is united with the Lord is one with Him in spirit.”
—1 Corinthians 6:17 (NIV)
That oneness means you already have access to divine peace. You’re not trying to earn it. You’re simply awakening to it.
So often we try to “do” ourselves into rest. We check spiritual boxes and hope peace will show up.
But it doesn’t work like that. Peace isn’t a reward. It’s a Person—the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
When you connect with Love Himself—when you let your heart be saturated in His presence—peace flows naturally.
That’s why cultivating your relationship with God is not optional. It’s oxygen.
And here’s the beautiful thing:
When you live from that union…
- Your decisions come from discernment, not fear.
- Your conversations are seasoned with grace, not control.
- Your relationships reflect heaven, not past trauma.
This is why godly relationships can only flourish when you’re rooted in rest. Because you’re no longer using people to fill a void only God can fill.
You’re free to love without strings. To give without burnout. To walk in peace even when others are in chaos.
And yes—it’s possible. It’s not just for the spiritually elite. It’s for you, beloved.
But let’s be real: it’s a process. You won’t wake up tomorrow and have all the noise gone.
However, you can begin to practice peace.
You can choose connection over chaos.
You can say “yes” to the invitation of freaky, divine rest—right here in the middle of your ordinary, noisy life.
Perfect! Here’s the continuation with the next section of the blog:
The Fruit of “Freaky” Rest
If you’ve ever tasted divine rest—even for a moment—you know it changes you. It’s not just a fleeting feeling. It’s a transformational state that bears lasting fruit. However, if you have a need to control things, rest can feel “freaky”, because it hands control over to the Lord—all except self-control.
Peace isn’t just something you carry for yourself—it overflows. It starts ministering to the world around you.
When you’re resting in God:
- People feel safe around you.
- Solutions come without striving.
- Clarity emerges where confusion once reigned.
- Godly relationships become easier, lighter, more aligned with heaven’s design.
I’ve seen it in my own life. The more I let go, the more He takes over. And the more He takes over, the more aligned everything becomes—not in a rigid, controlling way, but in a flowing, Spirit-led rhythm.
Let’s talk about some of the fruit that flows from divine rest:
🌱 1. Healing
When you rest in God, you’re placing yourself in the hands of the Master Surgeon. Rest creates the stillness where trauma surfaces and healing happens.
So many of us are walking around wounded, trying to function, even trying to minister to others, without tending to our own hearts.
But rest says, “It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to feel. It’s okay to be healed.”
And in that place, you’re no longer leaking pain onto the people you love. You’re free to engage in godly relationships that aren’t shaped by your past, but by your present union with Christ.
🌿 2. Clarity
Noise clouds our vision. But rest brings divine clarity.
Have you ever been spinning in indecision until you finally get quiet—and suddenly the answer just drops in your spirit?
That’s what peace does. It removes the static so you can hear the still, small voice.
Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap, turn off your phone, or go sit in the sun and breathe. Not because you’re avoiding responsibility—but because clarity doesn’t come from the swirl. It comes from the stillness.
🌸 3. Love Overflowing
God is Love, and He flows best when we’re not trying to control everything.
When we live in rest, Love gets to take center stage. That’s where we begin to walk in patience, kindness, gentleness—not as an effort, but as a natural byproduct of connection.
And isn’t that the soil of all truly godly relationships?
Paul writes in Romans 15:13:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)
Notice the order: trust leads to peace, which leads to overflow. It always starts with rest.
Obstacles to Rest: Why It’s Hard to Embrace Peace
Now, let’s be honest.
Living from this place of rest isn’t always easy—especially when we’ve been hardwired for hustle, performance, or survival.
There are real reasons why peace feels elusive. Let’s name them so we can dismantle them:
🚧 1. Performance Mentality
We’ve been trained to believe we have to earn love—even from God. So the idea of simply receiving peace feels… wrong. Lazy. Dangerous, even.
But you were never designed to earn the very thing you already are—beloved.
The antidote? Let grace rewire you. Begin confessing over yourself:
- “I don’t have to strive to be loved.”
- “I am already seated with Christ.”
- “Peace is my inheritance.”
🚧 2. Trauma and Pain
Many of us have lived in crisis mode for so long, peace actually feels foreign or unsafe. Stillness can surface feelings we’ve tried to stuff down.
But friend, peace isn’t the absence of struggle. It’s the Presence of the Healer. And He is safe.
🚧 3. Religion
Let’s just say it—sometimes, church culture gets this wrong.
We’ve been praised for burnout and guilted for slowing down. We’ve called it “faithfulness,” but it’s often been fear in disguise.
God is not glorified by your exhaustion. He’s glorified by your fruit—and fruit grows best in rest.
If your spiritual life is marked more by exhaustion than joy, it’s time to pause and ask: “What am I partnering with? Performance or peace?”
Love Encounter Break (Mini Activation)
Let’s take a moment—just you and Jesus.
You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to strive. You don’t even have to “get it right.”
Just bring your heart.
Find a quiet space (or as quiet as life allows right now). Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths.
Now ask Him:
“Jesus, where in my life am I striving when You’re inviting me to rest?”
Pause. Listen. Don’t overthink it. Let His Spirit gently bring something to mind.
Now ask Him:
“Jesus, how do You want to be my peace in that area?”
Wait. Let Him show you.
You might hear words. You might see a picture. You might just feel a wave of calm. That’s Him. He’s meeting you right where you are.
Now respond. Say something like:
“Jesus, I receive Your rest. I let go of trying to control or figure this out. I choose to trust You—even if I don’t understand everything. Teach me to live from Your peace.”
Let Him wrap you in Love. Let Him remind you who you are: His beloved. His masterpiece. His child. Already accepted. Already enough.
You were made for this kind of rest. You were designed to live in union with the Prince of Peace—not just on Sundays, but every moment of every day.
And when you do, everything starts to shift. Your decisions. Your reactions. Your relationships. Especially your godly relationships—which begin to thrive in the rich, safe soil of rest.
This is your inheritance. You get to live from peace, not for it.
Call to Action: The Courage to Choose Rest
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that rest is a choice. A radical, courageous choice.
It’s choosing trust over control. It’s choosing presence over pressure. It’s choosing to be led by Love—even when it feels unfamiliar.
And it’s the very soil where godly relationships, divine purpose, and deep healing grow best.
So today, I invite you: Choose rest.
Not the kind the world offers—but the kind that anchors your soul.
🌟 Let God hold you when you’re tired of holding it all together.
🌟 Let His peace interrupt your panic.
🌟 Let Him love you into stillness.
If this blog has stirred something in you—don’t walk away unchanged. Take a step:
- 📖 Revisit the Scriptures mentioned here this week.
- 📝 Journal what Holy Spirit is saying about your own patterns of striving.
- 💬 Share this post with a friend who’s craving rest but doesn’t know where to start.
- 💕 Comment below: “I choose rest” if you’re saying YES to living from peace today.
And if you’re longing to go deeper into this lifestyle—into healing, identity, and Spirit-led living—I’d love to invite you into the Vibrant Life Community. This is where we learn to live not just in survival mode, but in thriving, ridiculous rest—together.
Because you’re not alone. And Love is not done writing your story.
Closing Declaration:
“Peace isn’t the absence of trouble. It’s the presence of Love. And Love Himself is your Rest.”
With Love,
Catherine Toon