I used to think that real rest would finally come once I had everything under control.
When the to-do list was done, life was in order, and the people around me were happy.
But the older I get, the more I realize that kind of “rest” is an illusion.
Life rarely lines up the way we imagine.
Real rest, the kind that quiets the soul and lifts the weight off our shoulders, doesn’t come from control. It comes from leaning fully into God’s love, letting Him hold the pieces, and trusting that His arms are the safest place we’ll ever be.
See:
Life has a way of throwing words, opinions, and situations at us that can weigh us down.
But Psalm 23:2 (TPT) reminds us of something so beautiful:
“He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss.”
I don’t know about you, but I love that picture.
A resting place. An oasis of peace. And not just any kind of love, but His luxurious love that leads to stillness.
And the most beautiful part:
He is the one who leads me there. My work is to submit and follow him like sheep.
What Does Luxurious Love Look Like?
When I hear the word “luxurious,” the following words come to mind: costly, rich, comforting, abundance, overflow, and more than enough. That’s the kind of love God pours out on us. It’s not stingy. It’s not conditional. It’s lavish and constant.
This love is beyond what we could ever deserve because Jesus paid a heavy price for us to walk in and enjoy it.
Romans 5:5 says, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
That means His love isn’t just around us; it’s already in us, filling the empty spaces and making us whole.
Perfect Love Brings Peace
1 John 4:18 reminds us:
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.”
When we let His love soak deep into our souls, fear loses its grip. We stop living reactively, always responding to the noise of life, and instead, we begin to move from a place of peace and fullness.
Think of sheep lying down in green pastures.
I don’t think they can do that when they are hungry. So that means they only rest when they’re full.
In the same way, when God fills us with His love, we can finally breathe easy, let go, and rest.
Walking in the Overflow
Here’s the beautiful part: when we rest in His luxurious love, it doesn’t just change us, it changes how we interact with and relate to people around us, too.
John 3:16 reminds us of the depth of that love:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
That kind of love is meant to overflow.
As we rest in it, we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us, and from that place of fullness, His love naturally spills out to others. We start loving people, not from striving, but from overflow.
The Invitation to Rest
God never asked us to carry the weight of proving ourselves, pleasing people, or striving for worth. Instead, He invites us to rest.
To let His word light our path (Psalm 119:105). To let His presence calm our hearts. To let His love fill us until we are so full, we can’t help but live differently.
So today, take a deep breath. Slow down. And remember: your Shepherd is offering you rest, not just any rest, but rest in His luxurious love.
✨ Reflection: Where in your life do you need to stop striving and simply receive the rest of His luxurious love?