The first time I truly felt my soul exhale, I was standing barefoot on a beach with nothing on my agenda but watching the waves. The ocean has always been my designated place to rest. No meetings. No deadlines. No pressure to “produce.” Just sand, sea, and silence. And for a moment… I remembered who I was.
That’s the power of rest. That’s the purpose of vacation. Not just to escape — but to return: to yourself, to your peace, and to your God.
What if You Can’t Get Away for a Vacation?
Let’s get this out of the way first: not everyone can afford a beach trip or a cabin in the mountains. For many, vacation sounds like a luxury we can’t reach — because of finances, family, or the demands of everyday life. But here’s the truth I want to say loud and clear: rest is not a luxury. It’s a command. And God never gives us a command He won’t help us keep. Rest isn’t something reserved for the privileged. It is a birthright of the believer — a holy rhythm we are all called to embrace, no matter our zip code or income bracket.
The Spiritual Power of Stillness
Let’s be honest. Most of us live by a hustle ethic that says:
-Work harder.
-Grind longer.
-Sleep less.
-Earn more.
-Prove your worth.
We wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. We glorify being busy. We call it "purpose" when it's often just performance. We even feel guilty when we’re not working longer and harder at something. Maybe not even anything we should. Just something. But God’s rhythm is different. God doesn’t call us to hustle harder. He calls us to abide deeper. And the deeper we abide, the clearer we hear, the stronger we stand, and the more fruitful we become — not because of our striving, but because of our surrender.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” - Psalm 46:10
This is one of my favorite scriptures. That verse is not a suggestion. It’s a command wrapped in a promise. “Be still.” That’s the command. “Know that I am God.” That’s the reward. But you can’t know God deeply if you’re never still long enough to listen. It’s shocking how clearly God speaks to us if only we would be still and listen. Stillness is the soil in which spiritual clarity grows. If we never stop to be still, we miss the invitation to intimacy. We miss the chance to hear the still, small voice that speaks not to our performance, but to our personhood.
The Theology of Vacation
Let’s go back to the beginning, to the Garden of Eden. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in paradise. Not in a factory. Not in a cubicle. Not on a conference call. In a garden. A place of rest, beauty, relationship, and rhythm. Now look at creation: God worked for six days… and then He rested. God embedded the Sabbath into the very fabric of the universe. It wasn’t an afterthought; it was part of the plan.
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” - Genesis 2:2
Here’s what’s wild: God didn’t rest because He was tired. He rested because He was modeling something. He was showing us the holy rhythm of work and rest, purpose and pause, progress and peace. If God Himself made space for rest, who are we to believe we don’t need it?
My husband often tells me I don’t even take 5 minutes to appreciate a ‘win.’ And he’s right. I often focus on everything still left to do and overlook what I just accomplished, as if pausing to celebrate a milestone will cause me to fail at reaching the next one.
Rest Isn’t Lazy. It’s Holy
If we’re honest, many of us feel guilty about resting, especially in ministry or leadership. We think that if we stop, something will fall apart. In reality, sometimes it does. Sometimes, God is guiding us in a new and better direction, and we are so busy feeling guilty for not doing anything that we fail to see that He is actually doing everything for us.
Let me lovingly remind you of something: you are not God. You are not holding the universe together. You are not holding your family, your company, your friends, or your ministry together either. God is. And when we act like the world depends on our hustle, we’ve forgotten who really holds it all together. But, when you choose to step away — when you choose to rest — you’re declaring something powerful: “I trust You, Lord. I trust you more than I trust my own effort.” Isn’t that the faith described in Proverbs 3:5-6:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
That’s faith. That’s humility. That’s wisdom.
Vacation Is a Form of Worship
Yes, in its purest form, vacation is a form of worship. It's a declaration that your value is not measured by your output, but by your identity in Him. Yes, you read that right. Many of us need to refocus on the way we view vacation. Is it time for us – or time to be with Him? Time to appreciate him. Time to thank Him. Time to hear Him. When you choose to enjoy beauty, silence, or play, you are engaging with the God who created joy, silence, and play. Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28
Vacation is one way we say “yes” to that invitation. It’s not about checking out of life but checking back into your soul. I never understood why my pastor and his wife were so dedicated to unplugging every August. It seemed like a lot of time away. I was in my 20s and loved the hustle. I worked to work. I thought I had to. Until I stepped into my own leadership calling and learned that unplugging was a sacred way to worship God. I realized I needed that time to be filled with understanding for each season He uses me in.
5 Ways to Vacation When You Can't Afford a Vacation
Let’s talk about real life. Not everyone can hop on a plane. So, what do we do when vacation isn’t realistic, but rest is still required?
Here are some practical ways to experience “Sabbath for the soul” wherever you are:
1. Create Mini-Retreats
Take a day off. Turn off your phone. Go to a local park or beach. Read. Walk. Journal. Be still. Even a few hours of intentional silence can do more for your heart than a week of rushed activity. Block it on your calendar and protect it like you would a doctor’s appointment — because your soul needs care, too.
2. Sabbath with Intention
Carve out one full day a week where you don’t work, stress, or strive. Cook slowly. Worship freely. Nap guiltlessly. Laugh with your kids. Let your home be a sanctuary. Light candles. Play music. Eat slowly. Make it beautiful. Make it sacred.
3. Declare Digital Sabbaths
Shut off your phone, your laptop, and your TV for a set period. Let your mind detox from the noise. Stillness isn’t just physical. It’s mental and emotional, too. Social media doesn’t need you as much as your soul does.
4. Go Somewhere Sacred — Nearby
Visit a garden, a church, a hilltop, or a lake. Go alone if you can. Don’t fill the time with noise. Let God speak. He will. He always does. We just forget how to hear Him.
5. Give Yourself Permission
This might be the hardest one: Let it be okay that you're not producing something all the time. Even God rested. So why are we trying to outperform Him?
Rest Is Resistance
In a world that says you’re only as valuable as what you produce… rest is a form of rebellion. When you choose to rest:
-You resist the spirit of hustle culture.
-You resist the temptation to define yourself by your grind.
-You resist the pressure to always be "on."
And in that resistance, you find restoration. And in that restoration, you find God. Again and again and again.
I’m not writing this because I’ve mastered rest. I’m writing this because I’ve burned out trying to do too much for too many for too long. I’ve stood on stages proclaiming freedom while living in bondage to my schedule. And I’ve felt the sweetness of God’s whisper when I finally sat still long enough to hear Him say:
“You don’t have to earn My love. You don’t have to prove your worth. You are enough — because I am.”
That’s the rest your soul is looking for. And whether you find it on a beach or in your backyard, don’t let this summer pass without finding it.
Let’s Make This Summer Sacred
This summer, I challenge you to vacation with God, even if you never leave your zip code. Turn off the noise. Reclaim your peace. Take a break - not just for your body, but for your soul.
You may not be able to afford a hotel, a plane ticket, or an Airbnb — but you can afford stillness. You can afford to sit at the feet of Jesus. You can afford to say no to the hustle and yes to holiness. You can afford to be human. And that is more than enough. Then let me know what He shows you. We here at CGM are encouraging a movement of Holy vacation and a summer of sacredness.
Send me a message on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook – search Cynthia Garrett Ministries. Email me through CynthiaGarrett.org I want to hear what rest looks like for you — and how you’re choosing to obey the call to “Be still and know…that He is God!”
Vacation is good. But resting in Him is even better.
Photo Credit: Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/LordHenriVoton
Cynthia Garrett broke barriers when she became the first African American woman in the U.S. to host a network late-night show, NBC’s Later with Cynthia Garrett. She is currently seen on TBN and Salem Media networks, as well as on Fox News and other news outlets, addressing cultural issues and today’s news. The Cynthia Garrett Podcasts premiere weekly on all major podcast platforms.
A highly sought-after speaker, author, TV host, and ordained minister, Garrett is the author of The Naked Truth: Reclaiming Sexual Freedom in a Culture of Lies (2024), I Choose Victory: Moving from Victim to Victor (2020), and Prodigal Daughter: A Journey Home to Identity (2016). For more information, visit www.cynthiagarrett.org
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