Photo by Greg Pappas on Unsplash
We don’t often think of sleep as spiritual—but it is. In a world where success is measured by hustle and late nights, sleep can feel like a guilty pleasure. Sleep isn’t laziness. It’s permission to be human. When we neglect sleep, it often stems from deeper unrest—anxiety, ambition, or the fear of missing out. But God does not call us to burnout. He calls us to trust. Fasting, in this context, becomes a powerful companion to rest. When we step away from stimulation—whether it’s food, media, or endless scrolling—we create space. Space to breathe. Space to listen. Space to sleep.
“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2 ESV).
Rest is not a reward for productivity—it’s a gift of grace. God, in His design, built our need for rest right into our biology. Sleep is one of the clearest reminders that we are not in control. Every night, we let go. We stop working. We stop watching. We trust that the world—and our lives—will go on even while we rest. That trust is an act of faith.
“And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’” (Mark 6:31 ESV)
Spiritual Move: Fasting — Deepen your focus on God by letting go of distractions. Sacrifice temporary comforts to make room for lasting peace. Let your soul catch up with your body. Combine fasting with Sabbath rest and discover what it means to be nourished from within.
Journaling Prompt: What would it look like for you to embrace rest as a gift from God rather than something to be earned? How might fasting from distractions help you enter into deeper rest?
Move It: Give yourself permission to sleep well tonight—not because you’ve done enough, but because God is enough. Release the need to prove, and receive the rest He freely gives.