Honest words from the wilderness and the mountaintop. Here, I share what I’m learning, what I’m struggling to believe, and what grace is gently unraveling in me. A space for vulnerability and spiritual growth.
It’s not the first time I’ve been thinking about this—about rest. Some time ago, I was reading a book that talked exactly about the importance of rest and of having moments where we mentally “wander.” I have a strong impression that this used to be something simple (or at least easier) before the advent of the internet and especially social media. I definitely don’t consider myself someone who spends a lot of time on social media, but when it comes to resting my mind, I consider myself someone who gets almost zero mental rest during the day.
My sister says I’m full of ideas and that I speak fast because my mind works too quickly. I think about a thousand things at once and I can’t stop or slow down. The fact that I speak fast (in Portuguese) is because my speech can’t keep up with my thoughts (according to my sister). Considering she’s my sister and knows me very well, I’d say she’s right. I have an enormous difficulty finding rest in my mind, and that’s due to several factors—work, projects, studies, and I think even beliefs I grew up hearing and believing in.
There’s a saying in Christian circles that goes, “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” and this phrase has always haunted me, both growing up and in my adult life. I grew up believing—without even realizing it—that “resting the mind” was a bad thing. That created in me an urgency to never rest—to always have my mind occupied, always thinking about something and, consequently, ALWAYS doing something.
This idea of always being in motion, always being busy, always thinking, became part of who I am (or was, or maybe still am). But recently, this idea has come into complete conflict with motherhood—and I’ll tell you why.
Elena sleeping on the floor after playing with all of her toys.
See, being Elena’s mother has forced me to do two things, quite consistently, that were previously unimaginable to me: 1. Having several moments during my day where I’m putting her to sleep in her little room—in the dark, with no noise, no cell phone, literally spending 20 minutes just staring into nothing; and 2. Having moments of simply dropping everything I’m doing to lie down on the floor and just be with her—playing, laughing, and hugging her non-stop. As if there were no other responsibility in the world except to be there with her. These are not moments when I’m being “productive” (ahh… the keyword of our generation: productivity!), but moments when I NEED to slow down and let my mind rest so I can carry out the greatest task I’ve ever been given—to be a mother.
The truth is, this is the pattern of our society—everything revolves around BEING PRODUCTIVE. Do more, and more, and more. Today, looking at the person I’ve become—mentally speaking—I see that I created this pattern of always being “on,” as if it were a good thing, when in fact it’s not. Because it’s precisely in these moments I have with Elena, of mental rest, that I’ve been able to reflect on the importance of slowing down. As incredible as it sounds, my best ideas and thoughts have come exactly during these moments I’ve had with her.
The Word tells us that rest is not only allowed, but commanded and valued by God since the creation of the world. Sometimes, I forget that in Genesis 2, God Himself, after six days of work, rested on the seventh day and blessed it as a time to pause. God is God—obviously, He didn’t need to rest. His rest had a purpose—He invites us to contemplate and to rest so we can listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Sabbath, established as a commandment for the people of Israel, reinforces this truth: there is a time to stop, to be silent, to trust that the world keeps turning even when we’re not in action. This principle challenges the belief that our value is only in producing and shows that, in God’s eyes, resting is also an act of faith.
Jesus also teaches us about rest in a deeply human and accessible way. In Mark 6:31, after days of intense ministry, He says to the disciples: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” He recognizes the limits of our bodies and minds and demonstrates that rest is not a sign of weakness or unproductiveness, but of wisdom and care. On several occasions, Jesus would withdraw from the crowds to pray, reflect, and be alone with the Father. These moments of “pause” were essential to renew His strength and hear God’s direction. To rest, in light of the gospel, is not to leave the mind empty for anything to fill it, but to make space for it to be filled with what truly matters.
So now, every time I pause my day to be with Elena, in these moments of “mental rest” with her, I remember that Jesus Himself had moments alone to rest with the Father. This makes me think: if we want deeper communion with God, if we want to experience His grace, His love, if deep down we truly want to go to another level of intimacy with the Father—how can we do that if we are constantly being bombarded by thoughts about work, studies, distractions from social media, the internet, TV, and all the other distractions we have in our generation?
Rest is necessary.
May you find these moments of rest with the Father. Because it’s in these moments that our soul is filled with the voice of the Spirit, and hearing His voice is what we need to have a life of grace and abundance with the Father. <3
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28
Grace and peace,
Marina