We are complex beings—beautifully and intricately made up of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. Last month, we explored how physical rest fuels the body and mind, helping us thrive and stay productive. But what happens when physical rest isn’t enough?
I once saw a meme that read, “Sleep doesn’t help if it’s your soul that’s tired.” I remember it well because the truth of that simple statement struck me hard, to my core. Many times in my life my soul felt tired, deeply tired. Maybe yours has been too.
Soul Fatigue Is Real
Have you ever felt like you were running on fumes, even after a full night’s sleep? Maybe your body wasn’t what needed rest. Maybe it was your soul. Our souls are made up of our minds, wills, and emotions. Sometimes, perhaps too often, we overload our lives with too much on our proverbial plate—deadlines, demands, family needs, chronic illness, or the constant hum of anxiety. We try to press on, telling ourselves to just push through one more task, one more day, one more week. All the while, our souls are crying out for rest. Friends, this isn’t sustainable. And it isn’t how God designed us to live.
Yes, life brings stress and responsibilities. But we weren’t created to white-knuckle our way through every season. We need margin—not just for our schedules, but also for our souls.
Rest for the Mind and Soul
Mental and cognitive rest isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about making space—to pause, to reset, to breathe. When our minds are constantly stimulated and our thoughts pulled in ten different directions, our souls follow. It’s not just the tasks that wear us down, but the mental load we carry. And we carry a lot these days, don’t we?
We must be intentional about protecting our mental space and refreshing our inner life. Just like our bodies need sleep, our souls need stillness and our minds need quiet.
Who Says We Have to Keep Up This Pace?
We often believe the lie that we have to keep going at this breakneck pace. But who says? Who told you that your worth is measured by your productivity? In Blog Post #24: Soul Breath, I asked, “What gives your soul breath? What is life-giving for you right now?” Have you answered that question for yourself?
There are 1,440 minutes in a day. That’s 10,080 minutes in a week. Even if our schedules are full, there is time to carve out even ten minutes of soul-satisfying rest each day.
- Take a walk without your phone.
- Sit in silence and listen for God’s voice.
- Read a Psalm slowly, not for information, but for connection.
- Breathe deeply and allow yourself to be instead of do.
To Thrive in 2025, we need more than sleep. We need mental margin and soul rest. That means making space for God to fill us, time to breathe, and permission to stop striving. Let’s be people who rest—not just because we’re tired, but because we’re created to thrive. Let’s make room every day to catch our breath and return to what gives our soul life.
Reflection Questions:
- What is draining your mental and emotional energy right now?
- What gives your soul breath?
- What small change can you make this week to invite rest into your mind and soul?
Read more on this in: Blog Post #24 – Soul Breath