Beginning the Week in Rest: Finding Peace in God’s Presence

It’s Monday. Just saying that might make your pulse pick up.

The week is starting, the calendar is full, and everything feels urgent. So it might sound unusual to begin a Monday talking about rest.

But the kind of rest we’re talking about today has nothing to do with how many meetings you have or how packed your schedule is. This is a deeper rest. The kind that comes from being in the presence of God.

It’s not about checking out. It’s about leaning in. Leaning into the quiet strength that comes from knowing who holds your day. It’s peace that holds steady when the world gets loud.

James and the Surprising Joy of Trials

James opens his letter with this:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
James 1:2-3 (NKJV)

This kind of joy doesn’t come from circumstances. It comes from presence. It’s the awareness that God is near, even when things are hard. That He is forming something in you, even when you feel stretched thin.

Presence is where rest begins. When we remember God is with us, fully and constantly, the rush of the week loses its grip.

Rest is Found in Presence

James goes on to say,

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
James 1:17 (NKJV)

He never changes. His presence is always available. And in that presence, we find rest. You can have a day full of tasks and still have a soul at peace.

Because rest isn’t about doing less. It’s about knowing who you’re walking with.

How to Start Your Monday in God’s Presence

1. Begin with Stillness
   Take five minutes before anything else. Sit quietly and breathe. Invite the Lord into your day. Let your soul settle before your feet get moving.

2. Speak Scripture Over Your Heart
   Let James 1:2-3 be your anchor. Say it out loud. Write it down. Let His Word become the lens through which you see the day.

3. Acknowledge God’s Nearness
   No matter what’s on the calendar, remind yourself that God is not far off. He is with you in every meeting, every errand, every hard moment.

4. Practice Pausing
   Throughout the day, stop and whisper a simple prayer like “Thank You for being here.” These moments of presence become pockets of peace.

5. Let Gratitude Lead
   Even when it’s busy, find something to thank God for. Gratitude doesn’t erase stress, but it redirects your heart toward the One who holds all things together.

You Can Have Rest Even While…

You can have rest even while answering emails.
You can have rest even while sitting in traffic.
You can have rest even while walking through something hard.

Because rest isn’t the absence of activity. It’s the presence of God in your activity.

Let today be a reminder. You don’t walk into this week alone. His presence is already ahead of you, beside you, and within you.

A Prayer for Today

Lord,
As I begin this week, I choose to enter it with You. Let Your presence steady my heart. Remind me that I can rest even in the busy, even in the hard, even in the unknown. Thank You for never leaving me. Teach me to walk closely with You today.
Amen.