Everyone around me seems to be reading The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry – “a compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favor of a slower, simpler way of life”. Last week I was at a pastors conference where the theme was Rest for your Soul. Many people encourage me that being is more important the doing. These are all great. No problem with any of them. Actually find them helpful. And Jesus agrees:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better [Greek: “good”], and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

But the problem is that rest never seems to last. You take a break, go on vacation, clear your schedule—but before long, the stress and exhaustion return. So is slowing down really the answer? Or is something missing in our understanding of work and rest?

And I can’t help noticing that my exhausted non-Christian friends are pursuing what seems like the same thing. Retirement. Vacations. Cruises. Reduced work weeks. Eliminating clutter. Simplifying. Saying “no”. Freeing up time. Reducing stress. Just need to get away. Need a break. Have a Drink. And so on.

What does the New Testament say?

Rest is not Being Idle

The Greek words translated as “rest” don’t mean stopping work altogether. Instead, they describe a different kind of work—one where the burden is lifted, and the effort is no longer exhausting.

• Relief, when the yoke fits (ἀνάπαυσις, anapausis) – When Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28), He isn’t telling people to quit working. He’s offering relief from crushing burdens—the kind that come from trying to carry things you were never meant to bear. But notice what He says next: “Take my yoke upon you.” A yoke is for working oxen—but when the yoke fits properly, the weight is evenly carried. The work continues, but it’s no longer exhausting.
• Completion, not escape (κατάπαυσις, katapausis) – Hebrews speaks of entering God’s “rest,” but this isn’t about pausing from daily work. It’s about God’s completed work—the ultimate fulfillment of His purposes. The Israelites failed to enter katapausis because of unbelief, not because they were overworking (Heb 4:1-11). Rest is a destination, not a break.
• Idleness is dangerous (σχολάζω, scholazō) – This word actually does mean “unoccupied” or “empty.” But it’s never used positively in Scripture. When Jesus describes a demon returning to a house that is σχολάζοντα (empty, idle, unoccupied) in Matthew 12:44, it’s not a good thing—it’s vulnerable. The NT never tells believers to be idle. Instead, it calls them to be renewed (Rom 12:2) and diligent (Gal 6:9).

Working Hard is not Bad

Work can’t be bad, because Jesus also said:

• “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” – John 5:17
• “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work – John 4:34
• As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. – John 9:4
• I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. – John 17:4

Just as we’ve misunderstood “rest,” I think we’ve sometimes also misunderstood work. In Scripture, work is not a curse—it’s a calling, meant to be done with joy, purpose, and renewal. Listen to Paul:

• Work harder, but in grace (1 Corinthians 15:10) – “I worked harder (ἐκοπίασα περισσότερον) than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
• Toil with God’s strength (Colossians 1:29) – “For this I toil (κοπιῶ), struggling with all His energy (ἐνέργειαν) that He powerfully works in me.”
• Diligence, not laziness (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) – “I have worked much harder (ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως), been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.”
• Faithful labor, not anxious toil (1 Thessalonians 2:9) – “You remember, brothers and sisters, our labor (μόχθον) and toil (κόπον). We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God.”

Paul wasn’t afraid of hard work—he embraced it. But notice: his work was with God, through God and for God’s purposes.

The More Biblical Alternative

I read every verse on rest and work in the NIV New Testament. Rest isn’t a big theme. Work is, including 9 verses that praise working hard. I think Jesus mostly invites us into a different way of working, and sometimes invites us to stop working.

• Rest/Positive
  • Mt 11:29 easy yoke, Mk 6:31 come away, Lk 23:56 Sabbath, 2 Co 7:5 had no rest, Heb 3:11,18/4:1-11 enter God’s rest, 1 John 3:19 hearts at rest, Rev 14:11 no rest
• Rest/Negative
  • Mt 12:43/Lk 11:24 ousted demon, Mt 26:45/Mk 14:41 lazy disciples
• Work/Positive
  • Mt 9:37-38/Lk 10:2-7 workers are few, Mt 10:10 deserves wages, Mt 13:13/Lk 13:21 mixed dough, Mt 20:1-13 hired workers, Mt 21:28 vineyard, Lk 13:14 six days for work, Jn 4:34 finish, Jn 4:38 reap, Jn 5:17 always, Jn 6:27 approval, Jn 6:28-29 work is to believe, Jn 9:4 daytime, Jn 14:10 in Christ, Jn 17:4 finish, Ac 13:2 set apart, Ac 13:25 completing, Ac 14:26 completed, Ac 18:3 tentmaker, Ac 20:35 work hard, Ro 15:23 in regions, Ro 16:3,6,9 coworkers, Ro 16:12 work very hard, Ro 16:21 coworker, 1 Co 3:9 coworker, 1 Co 3:13 judge work, 1 Co 4:12 work hard, 1 Co 9:1 in the Lord, 1 Co 15:10 worked harder, 1 Co 15:58 work fully, 1 Co 16:9-10 effective, 1 Co 16:16 join, 2 Co 1:24 with joy, 2 Co 6:1 coworkers, 2 Co 6:5 hard work, 2 Co 8:11 finish, 2 Co 8:23 coworker, 2 Co 9:8 good work, 2 Co 10:15-16 others work, 2 Co 11:23 worked much harder, Eph 2:10 do good works, Eph 3:7,20 his power, Eph 4:12 works of service, Eph 4:16 each part, Eph 4:28 must work, Php 2:22 gospel work, Php 2:25 coworker, Php 2:30 of Christ, Php 4:3 coworkers, Col 1:10 good work, Col 3:23 all your heart, Col 4:11 coworkers, Col 4:13 working hard, 1 Th 1:3 by faith, 1 Th 2:9 night and day, 1 Th 3:2 coworker, 1 Th 4:11 with your hands, 1 Th 5:12 work hard, 1 Th 5:13 respect workers, 2 Th 3:8 night and day, 2 Th 3:10 must work, 1 Ti 1:4 by faith, 1 Ti 5:17 work is preaching, 1 Ti 5:18 deserves wages, 2 Ti 2:15 approved, 2 Ti 2:21 good work, 2 Ti 3:17 good work, 2 Ti 4:5 do the work, Phm 1:1,24 fellow workers, Heb 4:10 finish, Heb 6:10 remembered, Heb 13:17 with joy, Jas 2:22 with faith, Jas 5:4 pay workers, 1 Pe 1:17 work judged, 2 Jn 1:8 rewarded, 3 Jn 1:8 work together, Rev 2:2 hard work
• Work/Negative
  • Lk 10:40 Martha, Jn 8:41 works of the devil, Ac 15:38 didn’t finish, Ro 3:27-28/Ro 4:1-6/9:32/11:6 vs faith, 1 Co 9:6 full-time ministry, 2 Co 11:23 deceitful workers, Gal 2:16/3:2-10 vs faith, Eph 2:9 vs faith, 1 Jn 3:8 devil’s work, 2 Jn 1:11 wicked work, Rev 9:20 repent of evil works