"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.'" Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)
Did you know that July 2nd, 2025, marked the halfway point of the year? For some of us, that fact brings excitement—we're looking forward to August vacations, favorite holidays, and family get-togethers. For others, however, it's easy to let this reminder bring us down. Halfway through the year is a reminder of all the could've- and should've-beens. All the goals we didn't accomplish or the to-do lists left incomplete. It's easy to feel burnt out, lost, behind, and burdened by everything we'd expected to accomplish by now.
But what if this mid-year check-in isn't meant to beat us down, but lift us up? Instead of seeing everything we haven't done, what if we shift our gaze to everything God has already accomplished through and in us? What if we learn to see it as an opportunity for God's grace and mercy to abound even more? In the past year, regardless of your achievements and victories, where have you seen God?
Today, God invites each of us into something deeper than the items checked off or still left on our to-do lists. He invites you and me not into a rhythm of hustle and doing or being more, but rest, repentance, quietness, and trust. As Matthew 11:28-30 continually reminds us: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (NIV).
Think back to January. For me, this marked the season my husband and I got a new dog, confirmed mold in our home, and celebrated my 28th birthday. The month was filled with highs and lows alike. But what hopes, goals, or prayers did you carry into 2025? Where have you seen God move? Where have you heard His answers to prayer? Where have you drifted from His peace?
In Isaiah 30:15, Scripture reminds us that true strength isn't found in our to-do lists. Striving doesn't bring the peace we're looking for. Stopping, pausing, and surrendering do. This week, just a few days after the midpoint of the year, take a deep breath and a spiritual inventory. Ask yourself: "Where do I need to return to rest? Where am I striving instead of resting? What areas need a “reset” that puts Jesus back at the center?"
The answer to these questions might shock you. I know they always shock me. Somehow, I'm always trying to do and be more instead of resting in what God has already given me and where He's placed me. But friends, this isn't about shame or condemnation; it's about realignment. It's not about ignoring your to-do list or unchecked accomplishments, but reminding your soul, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" (Isaiah 30:15). Did you catch that? True rest and reset come not in having control, but surrendering it to the One who already has it. In rest, quietness, and trust, we find our strength, not when we're stressing out and trying to do more.
This week, I encourage you to spend 15-30 minutes in silence. During this time, pray, meditate on Scripture, and journal answers to these questions:
-What am I carrying that God didn’t ask me to?
-Where is God inviting me to slow down and trust Him more?
-What would it look like to root myself in God's rest?
-Am I putting more value in my relationship with Jesus or the items on my to-do list?
-How can I check in with Jesus daily?
Let's pray:
Dear Jesus, you are good to me. Thank you for not only saving my life from sin, but also saving me from the pressure to continually do and be more. Though I struggle with this, remind me that you meet me where I am, and you love me the same. Help me release my burdens and checklists to you, knowing that you will help me accomplish everything I need to do. Remind me that my worth isn't tied to my productivity but to your presence. Allow me to rest in your quiet strength today. I love you, Lord! Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Ben White via Unsplash
Related Resource: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life | Midweek Prayer (John 14:1–6)
When our hearts feel troubled, Jesus invites us to trust Him again.
This short midweek prayer creates space to pause, breathe deeply, and return to Jesus’s words in John 14:1–6, where He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” In this guided prayer, we acknowledge the places where worry, uncertainty, or longing have unsettled our hearts and bring them honestly before God.
Jesus reminds us that we are not alone—that He is with us, that He is preparing a place for us, and that He will return for us. As we pray, we ask for help to trust Him more deeply and to follow Him in the way He has already made clear: to love God fully and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Take a few quiet minutes to slow down, listen for God’s invitation, and rest in the presence of the One who leads us in truth and life. If you like what you hear, follow So Much More on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Tuesday, 08 July 2025.
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