Stop Striving: Why the Gospel Means You Can Finally Rest
I awoke early this morning, mind already churning at 5:00 am, restless to get started on the blog, email, and Patreon update for January. It’s Christmas Eve Eve, as my kids always called it, and my family is all here for the holidays.
Yet, my mind is preoccupied with the list of ministry-related projects I need to wrap up this week so we can enjoy time together. So, I rushed through my quiet time, anxious to get as much done as possible before everyone awakened and the fun festivities of baking and singing Christmas songs began.
Now, almost three hours later, I have accomplished very little because my work from early yesterday morning was accidentally deleted, I remembered some other ministry-related tasks that needed to be done, and everyone is now up.
My first response was frustration and anxiety, that feeling of never doing enough and never quite being enough. And honestly, it’s exhausting.
What if I told you this exhaustion isn’t God’s plan for us?
The Exhaustion of Self-Reliance
The truth is, we are constantly tired and running on empty because we put expectations on ourselves beyond what God has required.
Whether we are striving for others’ approval or trying to please God through our own efforts, this desire to accomplish tasks and projects is really an attempt to prove ourselves worthy.
And it demonstrates that we have lost sight of the gospel. We know we are saved by faith in the good news of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and resurrection for our eternity.
But somewhere along the way, we have believed the lie that daily life is up to us alone.
I immediately remembered what the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me through His Word as I have prayerfully been seeking His direction for this ministry in 2026: The gospel is enough.
Because of the good news of the gospel, we can rest from striving to accomplish, to create meaning, to find identity in something other than the finished work of Christ on the cross.
When we wear ourselves out through constant efforts to be a good enough wife, mother, daughter, or friend, to be a spiritual enough Christian, to be a productive enough worker, or to somehow make ourselves worthy enough to be loved and accepted, we’ve separated the gospel from daily living.
What the Gospel Actually Says
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30, NIV).
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He completed the work the Father had given Him to do. What was finished? Salvation, yes, but also our acceptance before God, our worth and identity in Him, our righteousness, our security.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
We are now justified (made right with God) and no longer face eternal judgment and condemnation for our sins. We can stop striving for acceptance.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Salvation is a gift from God, not the result of any works on our part. And this truth is why we can rest in the grace and work of Jesus on our behalf.
The gospel doesn’t just save us; it sustains us.
It keeps growing and bearing fruit in us as we abide in Him–not in striving to earn His favor or approval. We already have it!
From Grasping to Grace
When we truly believe this, we can stop trying to earn what’s already given. We can rest in our identity as beloved daughters. We can work from acceptance, not for acceptance.
I don’t know about you, but this truth frees me to let go of frustration or anxiety when my schedule is interrupted, when today’s to-do list gets shifted to tomorrow’s, or when my desire to accomplish projects interferes with my heart to just be present with people.
So, yes, I quickly typed this post while my grandson played in the background. But today I did it from a place of transparency, vulnerability, peace, and joy, knowing that when I click “schedule” on this post, I can walk away from the rest of my list and spend time with my family.
Because whether I get everything done right now or not, I’m choosing rest. I’m choosing presence with my people. And if God wants the rest of this work done, He can make a way for it to be accomplished in His time.
And that freedom comes from knowing that I don’t strive to accomplish deeds for Him so I can be worthy of His love or time or attention.
I am His chosen and cherished daughter, and I already have His love, time, and attention.
I carry out the work of this ministry for His glory alone, and I can hold that schedule loosely in the faith and conviction that His grace is sufficient for today. For right now. For this moment.
Because grace isn’t just for salvation day. It’s for every day. That’s the beauty of the gospel.