Rest: The Real Source of Energy
What kind of life are we living when we need 5-hour energy drinks?
We live in a culture that runs on caffeine and deadlines. You’ve seen it—the red-eyed co-worker clutching an energy drink like it’s the Holy Grail. Or maybe you’ve been that person (don’t worry, no judgment here, for I have lived that way before). But it raises the question: what kind of life are we living if we need a five-hour energy boost just to get through the day?
Maybe we’ve crowded in more than God designed. Perhaps we’ve run so far out ahead of Him that He’s back there like a patient Father, shaking His head while we sprint like a little boy chasing a goose—lots of flapping, feathers flying, and absolutely no progress.
The Unhurried Jesus
What strikes me when I read the Gospels is this: Jesus was never in a hurry. You don’t find Him rushing to make the next appointment or asking the disciples for “just one more espresso shot.” His rhythm was different. He stopped. He lingered. He spent long stretches in prayer with His Father.
Even when others were tugging at Him—crowds pressing in, disciples asking questions—Jesus walked at the pace of love.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Rest, not a five-hour jolt. His promise isn’t more speed—it’s more strength for what truly matters.
Crowded Lives and Empty Souls
Energy drinks are a symptom, not the root. They reveal how often we’ve stuffed our calendars beyond capacity. We go faster, we do more, but we end up emptier. And no amount of chemical caffeine can fill a weary soul. As Psalm 46:10 reminds us: “
Be still, and know that I am God.”
The better way isn’t to run harder, but to live simpler.
To trust God’s pace. To believe that unhurried doesn’t mean unproductive—it means fruitful in the right things.
A Better Way
God’s design for your life doesn’t require five-hour energy.
It requires abiding energy. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). Abiding, not hurrying. Remaining, not rushing.
So maybe today is an invitation to step back. Breathe. Set down the can. Open your Bible. Whisper a prayer. Choose to walk at the pace of Jesus. Because the truth is, when we walk with Him, He not only keeps up—He carries us.
Reflection
What does your current pace of life reveal about your trust in God’s timing and provision?
In what areas have you been “chasing geese”—running ahead of God and exhausting yourself in the process?
How might you build more “abiding space” into your day to walk at the pace of Jesus instead of the pace of culture?
Closing Prayer