Finding Soul Rest in Jesus’ Invitation| The Sunday Sabbath #8
Dear Friend,
There are seasons when the weight of grief compounds in ways that feel almost unbearable. Last month was my mom’s birthday—and the ten-year anniversary of losing her to breast cancer. On her birthday, we received devastating news: two of our dear friends and church members, a husband and wife, had been killed in a terrible act of violence, leaving behind their 17-year-old son, who is a close friend of our teenage son. Just a few days ago marked my baby brother’s birthday, and we are still grieving his loss to suicide earlier this year.
The grief is stacking, layer upon layer. The weariness in my soul runs deeper than exhaustion—it’s the kind of tired that settles into your bones and makes even breathing feel like labor. My plate is full with ministry, motherhood, and the everyday demands of life, and some days I wonder how I’m still standing under the weight of it all.
Almost unbearable. That’s the word that keeps coming to mind.
Almost.
Because in the midst of this crushing season, I keep hearing Jesus’ invitation echoing in my heart. The words that have become my lifeline, the truth I’m clinging to when everything else feels too heavy to hold.
“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 lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28-30
The Invitation to Soul Rest
There’s a particular weariness that settles into the bones of those who create, those who minister, those who pour themselves out week after week. It’s not just physical exhaustion—though that’s real too. It’s a soul-deep tiredness that comes from carrying the weight of calling, the burden of trying to be enough, the pressure of producing something meaningful in a world that never stops scrolling.
And into that weariness, Jesus speaks the most countercultural words we could hear: Come. Rest.
Not “work harder.” Not “push through.” Not “hustle until you’ve earned it.”
Just... come.
This passage in Matthew 11 comes at a significant moment. Jesus has been teaching, healing, and pouring Himself out in ministry. The religious leaders have been criticizing Him, questioning His authority, demanding signs and proof. The crowds have been pressing in with their needs and expectations. And right in the middle of all this activity and pressure, Jesus pauses to offer an invitation.
The Greek word used here for “rest” is anapauo—it means to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labor in order to recover and collect strength. It’s not just a break; it’s restoration. It’s the kind of rest that rebuilds what’s been depleted.
But notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t promise to remove our work entirely. He says, “Take my yoke upon you.” A yoke is still for labor—it’s what oxen wear to pull a plow. But here’s the beautiful paradox: His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.
How can a yoke be easy? How can a burden be light?
Because we’re yoked to Him. We’re not pulling alone. We’re learning His rhythm, His pace, His way of working that flows from rest rather than striving. We’re discovering that the work He gives us to do is the work He also empowers us to accomplish—not through our white-knuckled effort, but through His gentle strength working in and through us.
As creatives and ministers, we often confuse our calling with our striving. We think that if we’re not exhausted, we’re not faithful. If we’re not overwhelmed, we’re not obedient. If we take a Sabbath, we’re somehow failing the kingdom.
But Jesus invites us into something different. He invites us to find rest for our souls—not just rest for our bodies, though that matters too. Soul rest is the deep peace that comes from knowing we are enough because He is enough. It’s the settled assurance that our worth isn’t measured by our productivity. It’s the freedom to create from overflow rather than obligation.
This is the Sabbath invitation at its core: to cease our striving and remember that God is God, and we are not. To let our souls catch up to our bodies. To receive what only He can give—rest that restores, peace that sustains, grace that empowers.
The world tells us to earn our rest. Jesus tells us to receive it as a gift.
The world tells us rest is for the weak. Jesus tells us rest is for the wise.
The world tells us to prove our worth through production. Jesus tells us our worth was proven on the cross, and now we can rest in that finished work.
So today, on this Sabbath, hear His invitation again: Come to me. All of you who are weary. All of you who are carrying burdens that were never meant for you to bear alone. Come. And I will give you rest.
Not someday, when your to-do list is finally empty.
Not eventually, when you’ve proven yourself worthy.
Now. Today. This moment.
Come and find rest for your souls.
Invitation for the Week
This week, I invite you to practice what I call “yoke awareness”—paying attention to what burdens you’re carrying that Jesus never asked you to bear.
Here’s a simple practice: Each morning this week, before you dive into your work or open your laptop or check your phone, place your hand over your heart and pray this simple prayer:
“Jesus, what yoke are You asking me to carry today? What burdens am I trying to carry that belong to You?”
Then pause and listen. You might be surprised what He brings to your attention—expectations you’ve placed on yourself, pressure you’ve absorbed from others, standards you’re trying to meet that He never set.
As you identify these misplaced burdens, practice laying them down. Literally name them out loud if you need to: “This pressure to go viral with my content—I’m laying that down. This expectation that I should be further along by now—I’m giving that back to You. This need to prove my worth through productivity—that’s not my burden to carry.”
And then, take up His yoke. Ask Him what He’s actually inviting you to do today. Often, you’ll find it’s simpler, gentler, and more sustainable than what you were planning.
Carry His burden this week, not the world’s. Work from rest, not toward it.
Reflection Questions
What’s the difference between the yoke you’ve been carrying and the yoke Jesus is offering? What burdens might you need to lay down to take up His easier, lighter yoke?
In what ways have you confused your striving with faithfulness and your exhaustion with obedience? How might your creative work change if you learned to work from Jesus’ rhythm and pace rather than the world’s demands?
What would it look like to work from a place of soul rest rather than working toward rest as a distant reward? What is one tangible way you could practice “yoke awareness” this week?
Prayer
Father, I come to You weary. I come carrying burdens that have become too heavy—some You asked me to carry, and many I picked up on my own. Teach me to distinguish between the two.
Jesus, thank You for Your invitation to rest. Help me believe that rest is not something I have to earn but something You freely give. Forgive me for the times I’ve confused my striving with faithfulness and my exhaustion with obedience.
Today, I lay down the yoke of people-pleasing. I lay down the burden of comparison. I lay down the weight of trying to prove my worth through productivity. I lay down every expectation that didn’t come from You.
And I take up Your yoke. Teach me Your rhythm. Show me Your pace. Help me learn what it means to work from rest rather than toward it. Let me discover that Your burden truly is light when I’m carrying it with You, not alone.
Give me rest for my soul—the deep peace that comes from knowing I am Yours, I am enough because You are enough, and my work flows from Your finished work on the cross.
Let this Sabbath be more than a day off. Let it be a reorientation of my soul toward Your gentle and lowly heart. Let it be a reset that I carry into the week ahead.
In the name of Jesus, who invites me to come and rest. Amen.
The Story Sanctuary
Welcome to The Story Sanctuary! This is where I share all things books—my latest releases, stories I’m loving, and recommendations from fellow authors whose work inspires me. Think of this as our cozy corner where stories and Sabbath rest intersect, and reading is always an act of soul care.
This week, I’m excited to team up with other indie authors to help collectively promote our books! I’m part of two wonderful group promotions featuring sweet romances—including my own Blue Stone Christmas—and I wanted to share them with you.
Love in Full Bloom Group Promo ⭐
This is the promotion I’m most excited to share with you! This collection features sweet and clean romances, and here’s the best part—all of these books are available in Kindle Unlimited. That means if you’re a KU subscriber, you can discover new-to-you authors without having to purchase each book individually. It’s the perfect opportunity to expand your TBR (to-be-read) pile without breaking the budget!
Blue Stone Christmas is part of this collection, and I’d love for you to discover some of the other wonderful authors featured here. While I always encourage you to read book descriptions to ensure a story matches your preferences, this bundle should feature sweet and clean content throughout.
This promotion runs through January 13, 2026.
Romance Winter Books Group Promo ❄️
This collection celebrates the magic of holiday romance! Blue Stone Christmas is also featured in this winter-themed bundle with other indie authors.
Important note: This promotion features a mix of clean romance and books with various spice levels. I always want to be transparent with you, so please take a moment to read individual book descriptions before downloading to ensure they match your reading preferences. Not all of these books may be available in Kindle Unlimited.
This promotion ends December 31, 2025.
Both of these promotions are wonderful ways to support indie authors while discovering new stories to curl up with during these cozy winter months. And remember—reading is rest too. It’s Sabbath for the soul.
Closing
As we close this Sabbath space, I want to leave you with this thought: Rest is not something you do when the work is finished. Rest is what makes the work sustainable.
Jesus didn’t wait until His ministry was complete to rest. He rested in the middle of the mission. He withdrew to pray. He took time with His Father. He modeled for us that rest isn’t the reward for faithfulness—rest is what sustains faithfulness.
So this week, as you carry His yoke and leave behind the burdens that were never yours to bear, remember: You are held. You are loved. You are enough. Not because of what you produce, but because of whose you are.
Let your soul rest in that truth.
I’ll meet you here next Sunday for another Sabbath pause. Until then, may you know the deep, soul-restoring rest that only Jesus can give.
With Sabbath blessings,
Antonisha
Connect & Support
🌱 Join Our Community: Subscribe to receive The Sunday Sabbath newsletter and follow along on this soft, sacred, slow journey.
🤍 Support This Ministry:
Monthly Support: Join the Cultivator’s Circle to sustain this digital ministry with a monthly contribution.
One-Time Gift: Prefer a one-time donation? You can nurture this garden with a single contribution.
📚 Explore Resources: Discover books, assessments, and resources to support your creative journey in the Salty Page Books shop.
💬 Share Your Thoughts: I’d love to hear your perspective in the comments below.