Rest is important. But don’t take my word for it. God says as much in Exodus 20:9-10: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God.”

We all most likely agree that rest is important. But it’s making it happen that is the tricky party.

Today let me bring your attention to a much-neglected facet of rest. Yes, physical rest is important, but so is mental rest. As I’ve said before, physical rest without mental rest isn’t really rest. 

This may come as a surprise to you but the ancient Hebrews didn’t have our technology. They didn’t have smart phones, TikTok, Disney+ or YouTube. When they physically rested there was a greater likelihood that they were mentally resting too. Sure, they had other things to worry about including family, health, war and famine. My point is that today we have an added layer of complication: the potential for non-stop mental stimulation.

Millions of people in our country are physically resting all the time—but they are nevertheless living in a state of panic, fear and anxiety, in part because of mental stimulation which is non-stop and unhealthy.

Is your next best step toward more authentic Sabbath rest being more deliberate about how you do (or don’t) use technology when you are trying to rest?

Have you ever sat down on the couch, scrolled your phone for an hour, only to get up feeling worse than you did when you sat down? Exactly.

Physical rest without mental rest isn’t really rest.

Let’s be smart—and faithful. Let’s take that next best step toward more authentic rest.

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Notes:

-New episode and blog: “Should the Sabbath be on Saturday or Sunday for Christians?” Click here to listen or watch, or find it on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)
-Full message: “The counter-cultural restoration of Sabbath rest one day a week.” Click here to listen or watch, or find it on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)
-The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on June 9, 2025.
-Bible quotes are from the NIV.