Why Can’t I Rest? (The Battle Between Busyness, the Brain, and the Bible)

Have you ever laid down to sleep… only to feel your mind speed up instead of slow down?You’re exhausted, but your body refuses to rest.

Sis, this isn’t laziness. It’s not “doing rest wrong. ”It’s your nervous system, trained to expect danger the moment things get quiet.

Science calls it hyperarousal. Scripture calls it a soul in need of shepherding.

The Science of Restlessness

When your nervous system lives in fight-or-flight mode too long, silence feels unsafe.

• Your heart races even when you’re lying down.

• Your brain rehearses “what ifs” instead of relaxing.

• Your body feels tired, but wired.

This is your stress response refusing to turn off—like an alarm system stuck in overdrive.

What the Bible Says About Rest

Psalm 23 doesn’t just say, “He makes me lie down. ”It says: “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters; He restores my soul.”

Rest isn’t something you manufacture. It’s something God leads you into.

Isaiah 30:15 says, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.”

When we try to hustle our way into peace, we miss the invitation: Rest is received, not forced.

Compassion for the Weary

Here’s what I want you to hear:

• Restlessness doesn’t mean you’re faithless.

• Needing help to calm down doesn’t mean you’re weak.

• God isn’t waiting for you to “get it together”—He’s offering to carry you.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28 are as true today as ever: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Practical Ways to Step Into Rest

1. Regulate Your Breath: Slowly inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 6. This resets your body’s alarm system.

2. Pray a Short Prayer: Whisper, “Lord, be my peace tonight.”

3. Anchor in Scripture: Read Psalm 4:8 before bed—“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

4. Release Control: Write down one burden before bed and pray, “God, I give this to You tonight.”

   
   

Sis, true rest doesn’t come from a perfect schedule. It comes from a Shepherd who restores weary souls.

When your body refuses to rest, remember: You don’t have to fight harder. You just have to lean into the One who said, “I will give you rest.”

Pause. Breathe. Selah.