Little Way › Teen reflections › Permission to rest

Permission to rest

You are probably more tired than you let on.

Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while:
Mark 6:31 (KJV, excerpt)

School, homework, sport, jobs, friends, family and the constant noise of messages add up. It can feel as if resting is something you do after you have caught up, and you never catch up.

Jesus said the words above to his friends after a very busy time. He did not tell them to try harder. He told them to come away and rest. Even the people closest to him were allowed to be tired.

Rest is not only sleep, though sleep matters a lot. It can be a walk, music, a hobby that has no point, a quiet half hour, or time with someone you do not have to impress. It is also a way of saying that your worth is not measured by how much you get done. If you are exhausted all the time, or feel low for weeks, please talk to a parent, a doctor or another adult you trust. You deserve support.

Questions to sit with

What is the most restful thing you do? When did you last do it?
What would you have to let go of to make room for rest?
How do you feel about resting when others are busy?

One small thing to try

Plan one block of real rest this week, even thirty minutes, with no screen and no homework. Put it in your calendar like an appointment.

← Phones and attention All reflections

If things feel too heavy: you do not have to carry it alone. Tell a parent, a teacher, a pastor or another adult you trust. If you are in immediate physical danger, have a medical emergency or are being hurt, call 911 (US) or your local emergency number. If you are in an emotional crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Outside the US? Find a free, confidential helpline at findahelpline.com. These pages are not a substitute for professional or pastoral care.