When Rest Feels Hard
Lately, rest has been feeling harder than I think it should. I sit down to nap, to read, or even to pray, and instead of stillness I feel anxious, fidgety, or distracted. Escapism often comes easier—TV, scrolling on my phone—but that doesn’t leave me feeling truly refreshed.
What I’ve been noticing, though, is that play can be a pathway into rest, one that feels more accessible. I used to think of rest and play as opposites. But really, play is a kind of rest. There are so many ways to rest, and when the traditional ones (the ones that require keeping my body still) don’t work, play is often an easier way to enter. When I paint, color, doodle, or take a slow walk outside, my body and mind relax in ways they don’t when I try to force myself into “being still.”
And here’s something important: the kind of rest that truly quiets our bodies takes practice. It doesn’t always come naturally. Some seasons of life make it harder than others. That doesn’t mean we’re failing at rest, it just means we might need gentler doorways in.
Not every kind of play is equally restful. Some is active or noisy, which is good and refreshing in its own way! But other kinds of play are gentler. I call this contemplative play: the kind of play that refreshes the body, softens the heart, and brings the mind into a quieter rhythm.
Here are some of my favorite ways to practice contemplative play:
Watercoloring
Journaling (especially in my coloring journal)
Digital art (lately I’ve been playing with the idea of making stickers)
Swinging in the hammock
Sitting in the grass with the dogs and letting them tumble around me
Playing fetch with the dogs
Listening to audiobooks (often while doing one of the above)
After these kinds of play, I try to pause and notice what I’m feeling. Often the first feeling that surfaces isn’t the truest one. (Once I sit with it for a few minutes, I usually realize I’m just sad about a lot of things.) Then I gather up all those feelings and lift them to God with a simple prayer: “God, I don’t know what to do with all of this. Will you hold it for me?”
This month, I’m remembering that rest isn’t only stillness. Sometimes the most restful thing is to follow the thread of play until I arrive at the calm I was seeking all along.
Practice Invitation
Think about the kinds of play that feel restful for you. Try one this week, like coloring, baking, daydreaming, humming, swinging in a hammock. As you do, notice how your body and spirit shift. Then, take a moment to name what you’re feeling and lift it up to the Lord.