This entry is part 10 of 10 in the series December 2025 - Reflection and Planning

As the final days of 2025 unfold, many of us feel the weight of the year catching up with us. The pace of life rarely slows on its own — work demands, family responsibilities, church commitments, digital overload, financial pressures, and personal expectations all accumulate until we reach December feeling drained, stretched, or simply tired.

Rest often becomes something we promise ourselves “later” — after the project is complete, after the holidays, after things settle down. But rest is not an optional luxury; it is a core part of our discipleship. It is a gift, a rhythm, and a command woven into creation itself.

This final post in the December series invites you to breathe, reflect, release what you’ve carried, and find genuine rest in the presence of God as you prepare for 2026.

1. The Biblical Vision of Rest Is Deeper Than Sleep or Time Off

Rest is not limited to sleep, holidays, or brief moments of relaxation. In Scripture, rest is both physical and deeply spiritual.

In Genesis, God rested — not because He was tired, but to delight in His work.

Rest is celebration.

In Exodus, God commands the Sabbath — not as a burden, but as a freedom from slavery.

Rest is liberation.

In the Gospels, Jesus invites the weary to find rest in Him.

Rest is relationship.

In Hebrews, rest is described as something to enter — a state of trust, not just a break in routine.

Rest is surrender.

Biblical rest is not merely the absence of activity — it is the presence of peace.

It is the experience of letting God be God, and allowing your soul to breathe again.

2. Why We End the Year Exhausted — Even When It’s Been Good

Many people assume they should only feel tired if the year was hard. Yet even joyful seasons can leave us depleted.

Common reasons we feel exhausted at year’s end:

Continuous mental load
Emotional strain from change or uncertainty
Spiritual dryness from busyness
Constant decision-making
Tech overload and information fatigue
Pressure to accomplish “enough”
Carrying others’ burdens
A pace of life that exceeds the soul’s capacity

Even blessings can be draining when they come quickly or all at once.

Tiredness does not mean you failed — it means you’re human.

3. Rest Begins With Acknowledging What You’ve Carried

Before you can rest, you must be honest about what has weighed on you — spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically. Many Christians push themselves harder than they realise because they don’t pause to recognise their load.

Ask yourself:

What drained me in 2025?
What stretched me more than I expected?
What burdens have I been carrying alone?
What did I struggle to release?
Where did I feel overextended?
What emotions did I push aside?

Acknowledging your burdens is not weakness — it is the first step toward healing.

4. God Invites You to Lay Down What Was Never Yours to Carry

Many of us carry things that belong in God’s hands, not ours:

The outcome of other people’s choices
Financial pressure
Family tensions
Work stress
Fear of the future
Ministry responsibilities
The need to be strong for others
The belief we must earn God’s approval

Jesus offers a different way:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

Notice He doesn’t say:

“Come when you feel holy enough.”
“Come after you’ve fixed yourself.”
“Come when you’ve sorted your life out.”

He says come as you are — tired, overwhelmed, and carrying too much.

Rest begins when we stop pretending we can manage everything ourselves.

5. Rest Comes From Receiving, Not Achieving

The world teaches us that rest must be earned.

But the Kingdom teaches us that rest is given.

In God’s presence:

You don’t need to impress Him.
You don’t need to be productive.
You don’t need to justify your tiredness.
You don’t need a spiritual performance review.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.

God delights in you, not in your output.

You rest not because you have done enough — but because God is enough.

6. What Rest Can Look Like as You End the Year

Rest is personal and varies between individuals and seasons. What restores one person may not restore another. But here are gentle, accessible ways to find rest in God’s presence as 2025 closes.

A. Physical Rest

Let your body recover:

Sleep more than usual
Take relaxed walks
Enjoy slow mornings
Sit in quiet spaces
Stretch, breathe, unwind

Honouring your body is a form of worship — God created it.

B. Emotional Rest

Make space for your feelings:

Journal honestly
Talk with someone you trust
Allow yourself to cry if needed
Release guilt or frustration
Celebrate moments of joy

Emotional rest is letting your heart catch up with your life.

C. Mental Rest

Reduce noise:

Limit screen time
Unplug from news cycles
Take a break from work email
Enjoy mind-light activities
Listen to calming music

Mental rest is clearing space for peace to return.

D. Spiritual Rest

Reconnect gently with God:

Sit in silence
Read one meaningful scripture
Pray slowly and simply
Light a candle as a symbol of peace
Attend a quiet church service
Meditate on God’s presence

Spiritual rest is not an activity — it is awareness.

7. Let the Quiet Moments Speak

Rest often comes not in dramatic moments but in gentle, quiet ones:

When the house is still
When a song touches your spirit
When you read a familiar verse
When you notice beauty in nature
When you slow your breathing
When you enjoy a warm drink
When you close your eyes and exhale

Sometimes God whispers the loudest in silence.

8. Allow God to Heal the Parts of You That the Year Wounded

Every year leaves marks — some beautiful, some painful.

Invite God into your wounds:

Disappointment
Confusion
Loss
Fear
Hurtful words
Exhaustion
Regret
Missed opportunities

God is not just the God of your productivity.He is the God of your healing.

This week is a sacred time to let Him restore what the year frayed.

9. A Spiritual Practice: The “Release and Receive” Prayer

Find a quiet space. Hold your hands open.Pray slowly:

Release:

“Lord, I release to You everything that has weighed on me this year —the stress, the mistakes, the worries, the heaviness, the pressure,the things I wish had gone differently,the things I still don’t understand.”

Receive:

“Lord, I receive Your peace, Your rest, Your presence,Your healing, Your comfort,Your grace for where I fell short,Your strength for the days ahead.”

Stay there a moment.Let God meet you in the quiet.

10. A Prayer for Rest and Renewal

Father,As this year comes to a close, I come to You weary and in need of Your presence.Thank You for sustaining me through everything 2025 held —the joys, the challenges, the surprises, the lessons.I release to You the burdens I was never meant to carryand I open my hands to receive Your rest.Renew my mind, calm my heart, restore my spirit.Prepare me for 2026 with peace, clarity, and trust.Help me walk into the new year refreshed, grounded,and confident in Your unfailing love.Amen.

Rest Is the Beginning of Renewal

You do not need to rush into 2026 with energy you don’t have or expectations you cannot meet.You don’t need to shape the new year through force or fear.

Rest is not a pause from your life — it is what makes your life whole.

When you rest in God:

Your strength returns
Your clarity increases
Your spirit softens
Your priorities realign
Your trust deepens

This is how renewal begins.

As 2025 ends, may you find the rest that restores your soul — the rest that comes not from finishing everything, but from returning to the One who holds you gently and faithfully through every season.

Robert Elliott

robsroost.me.uk

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