Fola was always doing something,
Learning, working, hustling.
She feared that if she stopped, she would fall behind.
So even when she was exhausted, she kept saying, “I can’t rest now.”
But one evening, after yet another long day,
she broke down in tears and said,
“God, I’m tired.”
And in the stillness, she heard the whisper of peace,
“You can rest and still rise.”
Somewhere along the way, we confused rest with laziness.
We thought slowing down meant we lost our drive.
But the truth is even seeds rest before they bloom.
Rest doesn’t mean you’ve stopped growing;
it means you’re gathering strength for the next stretch.
It’s okay to pause.
It’s okay to breathe.
You don’t have to prove your productivity to be purposeful.
Even Jesus rested.
Even the ocean pauses between waves.
Why then do you feel guilty for resting?
Fola took a break that week.
She slept, prayed, journaled, and just breathed.
And when she woke up the next morning,
her heart felt lighter not because everything changed,
but because she gave herself permission to just be.
So yes, you’re allowed to rest while growing.
You’re allowed to pause and still be progressing.
Because rest is not a retreat from purpose,
it’s part of becoming whole.
Temilade Alokan
Light Lamp
Comments