From Guilty to Guilt-Free

Brianna France
Sep 29
2 min read

You matter. Your health matters. Your rest matters.

I was having a discussion with my small group, and one of the ladies mentioned how we have to “know when our plate is full” so we don’t burnout. I nodded along in agreement, like what she was saying was common sense, when in reality I was trying to balance too much on my plate behind the scenes. I was active in two small groups, served on three teams and always said yes when extra hands were needed. I thought I was just being involved in the church and being a good servant. Even when I would start to dread the days where it was time for me to serve or go to a small group, I ignored the signs and smiled through it. The underlying truth was that I just felt guilty for saying no. A small part of me felt like since I gave my commitment, I had to show up every time. So instead of slowing down to recharge, I just told myself that everything would be fine.

It wasn’t until my schedule changed and I was forced to cut back, that I realized that rest was long overdue. With my new schedule, I could only do one small group and I had to drop one of the serve teams. I noticed that what I am doing now was my original plan to begin with. When I first joined the church, I wanted to serve on two teams and join one small group because I knew I could handle it. Over time, I said yes to the other opportunities, but I traded off the time for rest that I had previously. Also, I realized that saying yes to more changed my heart posture. Before, I loved serving and meeting with other ladies, but after it started to feel more like an obligation. Now, I understand that it’s okay to listen to my body and slow down when I need to.

So maybe you’re going through something similar right now. Whether in church, your home life, or work. Maybe you’ve said yes to too many things, your plate is too full, and you feel like you can’t say no because of your prior commitment. Keep in mind that there is a season to grind, and a season to rest. It’s true when they say “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” Because your physical yes is no good if your spirit is screaming for you to take a break. You won’t show up at 100% and it will only make you feel worse. It’s important to remember that God is still working while you’re resting, so you don’t have to feel guilty. Trust that when you prioritize slowing down to recharge, God is keeping things in line. You can slow down guilt-free in order to take care of yourself. You matter. Your health matters. Your rest matters. And your comeback will be even stronger once you’ve recharged.

Weekly Scripture

"Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to find rest in Him."

Psalm 5:3 (NKJV) Matthew 11:28 - 30