The Radical Pursuit of Rest

by John Koessler

We live in a culture that values activity, achievement and accomplishment. Whether in our careers, churches, schools or families, busyness is the norm in our lives, and anything less makes us feel unproductive and anxious. We have to work all the harder, then, to pursue true rest in a 24/7 world that is constantly in motion.

John Koessler understands that rest is not automatic or easy to attain. He names the modern-day barriers to becoming people of rest and presents a unique perspective on how pursuing rest leads us to the heart of God. With honest, biblical reflections on trends in our culture and churches, he exposes our misconceptions regarding the concept of rest, as well as offering correction and practices to align our ideas with God’s ideal.

The book includes reflection and discussion questions designed for both individual and group use. You will discover the true meaning behind Jesus’ idea of the yoke of rest and restoration for your mind, body and soul.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Spirituality, Discipleship, Theology

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2016

About the author

John Koessler serves as chair of the pastoral studies department at Moody Bible Institute, where he has served on the faculty since 1994. He is an award-winning author who has written thirteen books and numerous magazine articles. He writes the monthly “Theology Matters” column for Today in the Word and is a frequent workshop leader at the Moody Pastor’s Conference. Prior to joining the Moody faculty, John served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He is married to Jane and they have two adult sons. John and Jane live in Munster, Indiana.

Reviews

[Katie Koppin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book to read while in a tiny cabin in the woods. I try to take these retreats by myself to rest and spend time with the Lord. Reading this book was time well spent. I’m encouraged and convicted. Biblical view of rearing in the Lord. I also enjoyed the authors references to Detroit and Windsor. Highly recommend.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blessed my soul. It said so much that needs to be said, yet we never hear. Along the way you get a good understanding of what the Bible tells us about rest. This book is not “get apart and rest”, or even “stop and smell the roses along the way”. No, though those type books are popular in our exhausting age, this book goes much deeper in the concept of rest. We don’t rest because we don’t even know what it is. John Koessler gives us exactly what we need to get our thinking straight.

He explains how our thinking is skewed these days and affects us as Christians and especially those in ministry. We fall into what he describes as “the productivity trap”. It has come to us from the business world. We now assume busier is better. We always want to exceed what we have done before. He says,”The church is driven by bottom line just as much as a company whose lifeblood is sales revenue.” We even to fail to see that worship is a wonderful thing and critically important, though we might feel we aren’t actually doing anything.

We get reduced to selling our brand–our particular church. We change our worship to consumerism. He says, “Visitors are treated like consumers and the church’s members are employees whose main job is to promote the brand. They do not worship; they produce. ” How incredibly perceptive is what he shares.

He used the Sabbath and Christ’s saying “I will give you rest”to explain the idea of rest. Rest is trusting God. He says, “Rest is a practice because the ‘work’ of rest is rooted in the finished work of God.”

There is so much more here. This book is exceedingly valuable. I wish all of us would read it and take it to heart.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good message over all. I did not find the topic scattered at all like some other reviewers did.
This book is excellent for the Christian who is constantly “working for the church.” I would not recommend it for baby, or “nominal,” Christians.


Extended Quote: (must read!)

When work is no longer a means but becomes an end itself, we end up valuing strenuous effort above all else. As a result, we see difficulty as more than a necessary component of completing a meaningful task—difficulty becomes its own virtue. This too has spiritual consequences. When effort itself becomes a virtue, we no longer take up the cross in order to identify with Christ or even to mortify the flesh but we carry the cross for its own sake. We sweat and suffer because we think of these things themselves as merits. It was this kind of thinking that poisoned the ascetic ideal of the early church and sometimes turned the monk’s cell into a torture chamber.
Admittedly, we are not as rigorous as the desert fathers. Most of us do not take to the caves and attempt to perfect our souls through deprivation and physical suffering. But many of us share their ethos. In fact, we hear an echo of this ethos in the dictum that God wants us to “get out of our comfort zone.” Being comfortable, it would seem, is a bad thing. As long as we are comfortable, we cannot pursue God’s will. Only by making ourselves uncomfortable can we please God.
In this way of thinking, discomfort becomes more than an occasional side effect of obedience or an environment in which we are sometimes asked to exercise faith. It is now a destination. Discomfort is a mark of grace. It is proof of our genuine devotion.

[Ross Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the start, I appreciated how John Koessler’s “The Radical Pursuit of Rest” (InterVarsity Press) helped me change the way I think about rest. “Rest is an end in itself. We do not work in order to justify the fact that we rest. We do not rest in order to work. Rest as the Bible describes it is our destiny. It is what we were made for. In this book I am arguing for the radical pursuit of rest.” Born and raised, as I have been, in a productivity-driven world, this quote from the introduction struck me right away: drawing me in search of further wisdom.

Every chapter is bifurcated, beginning with an illustrative anecdote from Koessler’s life and ending with something of a theological treatment of the topic at hand. There are hints at practical wisdom sprinkled throughout, and each chapter concludes with helpful questions for reflection, ready-made starters for small group discussion. While informative, the latter half of each chapter left me feeling a bit taxed through overuse of quotations and some mild repetitiveness. This effect was compounded over the course of nine chapters and, toward the end, I was struck by irony of laboring to finish The Radical Pursuit of Rest. That said, there is much to be grateful for in this book and Koessler brings up a variety of issues that we should (rightfully) be wrestling with as the Western Church.

The first few chapters decry “spiritual capitalism” and the ways in which it has retooled the Western Church to look more like a service industry which alternatively lures congregants as customer and exploits them as employees. Koessler also brings up the “false rest” we too often settle for: sloth. He reframes the common conception of that term to be understood as “rest’s dysfunctional relative… a sin of ignored responsibility and missed opportunity”. Giving us a few modern pictures, (incessant scrolling through endless social media feeds, binge watching online videos) Koessler reminds us that the Church hasn’t always been so permissive of this “noonday demon” and makes a compelling case that we should take it more seriously today. He also shows how the advent of technology has sped up life, both at work and at home, and suggests that we may need to occasionally withdraw and re-establish healthier rhythms.

Even with these insights, I was as grateful for the works citation as I was for the content of the text itself. Koessler is obviously well read and draws both deeper and more broadly than you would expect given the relatively concise 160 pages (forward and discussion guide included) within which he worked. Consulting such Evangelical mainstays as C.S. Lewis, John Stott, Dallas Willard, and Eugene Peterson, Koessler also draws from Geerhardus Vos, Rudolf Otto, Stanley Hauerwas, and Josef Pieper (among many others).

John Koessler is a gifted preacher (as evidenced by his Chair position in the Pastoral Studies Department at Moody Bible Institute) and this was apparent in his writing. His personal narratives were warm, engaging, and communicated both to the head and the heart. That said, he may have been over-ambitious with how many sub-topics he attempted to take up (a full 160 pages could be written on each). While he explicitly says he’s not writing a “how-to” guide, I could also have done with more in the way of practical advice. The practical wisdom he does offer (trade out time at work for time in solitude, limit the use of invasive technology) isn’t novel and won’t likely be helpful to readers who lack flexibility in their schedules (moms, or folks working multiple minimum wage jobs, for example). His writing style also felt a bit academic at times, which further limits accessibility. I think the ideal audience for this book, perhaps unsurprisingly given the author, would be folks in full time ministry.

Koessler helped me think differently about rest and made me feel like he empathized with me. While we may have been trying to “escape the productivity trap” together; however, it wasn’t clear how we might do so or what resource we’d need along the way. I would have rather seen this book cover half the sub-topics, include an additional section on relevant spiritual formation practices to each chapter, and tack on a hefty “for further reading” list instead of quoting from so many other works. In short, while this book has its merits as a theological primer on Christian rest, I would have been helped had Dr. Koessler written less and told me more about the subject.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Radical Pursuit of Rest" is about pursuing the physical and spiritual rest that's a gift from God. The author looked at Scripture's description of rest and contrasted it to the busyness and restlessness that our culture promotes. He showed how rest is a gift from but also a surrender to God as we must trust that our worth and safety does not depend upon our efforts.

The author discussed the Sabbath, Lord's Day, and worship as well as sloth, selfish ambition, and the fear of the unknowns in our future and in death. The book included questions at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book for individual or group study. Overall, the author was easy to understand. I did pause on occasion to think over what he'd said, but it was not due to confusion or lack of clarity. I'd highly recommend this thought-provoking book.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tried to give a deeper meaning to the importance of rest ~ as related to the Sabbath. While it did address some good issues and offered good suggestions, it did fall short for me. Why? There was a disconnect with the Jewish understanding of Sabbath rest and it showed. Though few in number and very minor, there were also a few "digs" to other denominations that were uncalled for.

[David Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my first grandchild was born I fell madly in love with that little lad...but I soon discovered that I had no room in my life for him. For years I had failed to factor in a major part of God's creation--the Sabbath and thus when "the lad" entered into my life all my carefully being-in-control-production-driven plans came crashing down.

I will forever be grateful to the patience and grace extended to me by the great Fort Mill Church of God (where I pastored at the time) and my family as I sorted it all out.

Looking back, hitting that wall was one of the best moments of my life for it started me on a on journey of learning how to practicing Sabbath in a 21st world. Nine years later I'm still working at it, but I do have room in my life for all five of my grandchildren (Number 6 is due later this year and I'm not sweating--I will be ready!)

Having said that, Koessler's book may be the very best I've read on the subject of Sabbath.

Truth be known, I am not the only one who struggles with this issue and this book could be a game changer. I recommend it highly.

[Ben K · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an irony that I had to work so hard to understand this book.

In these pages, Koessler explores the biblical theme of rest, inviting us into both a deeper understanding and helping us see how it might be applied in various aspects of life. I found the chapters on Sabbath, ambition, and rest in the digital age most insightful.

Koessler’s writing was often deeply theological and profound, but at times I found myself confused about what he was trying to say. His definition of rest seemed to fluctuate, and my brain had a hard time connecting the dots between one argument and the next.

The final chapter on death ended the book on a low note. All I really learned from it was that Koessler really, really loved his dog.

This is not to say the book was a waste of time. There were some keen insights and memorable, practical takeaways for me.

[Carter Hemphill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author goes beyond the concept of shalom and addresses this concept from a much broader and holistic perspective. He covers the performance trap that many Christians face as they faithfully attend church, and also, the book includes ambition, worship, aging, and death.

The book is full of useful wisdom and in-depth theological instruction.

For example, I liked this quote:

Activity alone, even when it is spiritually directed, is not identical with virtue. (p.27)

And this one:

Rest is a standing. It is a state or condition into which we enter and in which we remain. We sometimes speak of an object as being “at rest.” The same can be said of us. There is a positional dimension to the rest we enjoy in Christ. (p.45).

It is well worth going back to re-read once again.

[April Yamasaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his introduction, author John Koessler says that while his book contains practical suggestions on how we might pursue rest, it’s not a “how-to” book. Instead he says, “The secret to rest is not in what we do so much as in how we see” (page 16).

So we might say instead of a how-to book, this is a how-to-see-it book—how to see our rest grounded in the work and rest of God, how to recognize false rest, how rest contrasts with ambition, how Scripture gives us a glimpse of our final rest. For more, see some of my favourite quotes.

[Michele Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rest: A Remedy, a Relief, and a Gift



Rest is a radical practice.

In our hyper-scheduled culture that worships productivity, it’s easy to slip into a negative attitude toward those who promote a more rest-filled lifestyle, but The Radical Pursuit of Rest is not seeking to add one more thing — resting! — to the already full do-list. Author and professor John Koessler asserts that rest is not so much about what we do as it is who we are and how we see the world.

Therefore, it is not a contradiction for the author of Hebrews to say, “make every effort to enter that rest,” for it is a gift that comes to the believer, but . . . it is also possible to fall short of it. To those who are weary and burdened, Jesus offers a rest intended to dethrone performance and productivity, a rest that comes through relationship with God, who was, after all, the first to rest.

The truth is that “God is always at work in His creation, but He is also always at rest.” Since both our rest and our work have their beginning in God, both are gifts from Him, and one is enhanced by the other. The Radical Pursuit of Rest involves a four-fold understanding of rest:
1. Rest is a place — Hebrews 4:1 speaks of entering rest and falling short of it, “but if rest is a country, it is not our native country.” This is certainly true of my own uncomfortable relationship with rest. It takes an act of the will to quit spinning the plates and to enter into a time of rest that is consistent with my confessional theology that God is holding together the galaxies and the molecules — without my assistance.
2.Rest is a practice — Once the believer relocates into new life, the finished work of Christ serves as fuel to energize rest as well as work. There are behaviors and mind-sets that must be relearned because our culture equates rest with play, and often with activities that are more stressful and energy-draining than our work.
3.Rest is a standing — Rest comes to us as a gift, but at the same time, we must position ourselves in such a way that we are able to receive it. Action is not incompatible with rest, making the spiritual disciplines a good starting place.
4.Rest is a person — Since God is always as rest and always at work, He offers Himself as a “place of repose” through relationship and a right understanding of grace and forgiveness, peace and purposefulness.

The Radical Pursuit of Rest presents an important distinction between the Old Testament Sabbath, which looked forward to a promise yet to come, and New Covenant Rest, which looks back to a promise which has been fulfilled. At the same time, there is a posture of faith that they hold in common: the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25) threw the people into a level of dependency upon God for provision that Jesus admonishes New Testament believers to cultivate in Matthew 6.

The “What shall we eat? What shall we wear?” questions are legitimate concerns if one is pulling back from the very activities that generate a secure living. Sloth, however, is not on the agenda. As “rest’s dysfunctional relative” it serves to clarify further the nature of what rest is NOT; i.e. detachment, apathy, or a fearful holding back from action.

Rest is also NOT complacency. Desire is a natural part of the human experience and is compatible with rest to the extent that one can remain at peace with God’s assignment relative to those desires. Pride and envy have no place in Kingdom-oriented ambition, and ambition for its own sake forgets the nature of God and His call to a life of servanthood:


“If the primary aim of our ambition is to be noticed, we ought to recall that we live within sight of the one who sees the sparrow fall to the ground.”

My understanding of work and rest has a thunderous impact on my practice of prayer. Like John Koessler, I admit that “I am more comfortable working than I am praying.” It turns out, however, that prayer is crucial if I desire to work from a position of rest, for rest holds my heart in relationship to God, not merely as my operations manager or CEO, but as my Lord and Master. Coming to God for rest through the discipline of prayer establishes my thinking in the present . . . “I am here in this moment. God is here, also.” Mindfulness slows the racing clock and the silence becomes a fertile place rather than an awkward and stumbling conversation.

A biblical theology of rest will deepen my longing for a healthy relationship with technology, and will also clarify my understanding of worship which Koessler defines as “an exercise in sustained attention that requires us to train our vision to see reality as God describes it.” This reality check turns common practice on its head for “worship is not a feast we lay out for God. It is the table on which God spreads his feast for us.”

Silence and solitude, attentiveness toward God and mindfulness of his presence, taking the yoke of rest that Jesus offers all lead to a radical perspective on this world that affects even my view of leaving it behind. Augustine was on the right track. The God who Himself rested and who offers rest as a gift has “made us for [Himself], and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in [Him].”

//

This book was provided by IVP Books, an imprint of Intervarsity Press, in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the title he's clearly not overtly discussing Sabbath but the principle of rest comes from that Biblical concept. He focuses on rest as a spiritual problem, not a physical one, and Jesus' call to find rest in him: "We do not come to Christ, receive our rest, and then go our way" (31). He sees a "Sabbath principle," but also acknowledges that the church has never been uniform in its convictions about "Sabbath keeping." . . . For a popular level book, I think this hits the right balance for how I would interpret the Sabbath command but apply it to contemporary living.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough, engaging read that gave me much to think about in the area of "rest". This is not a book with a list of practical ways to find/pursue rest. Rather an apologetic toward the concept/idea/pursuit of rest; the whys, wherefores, misunderstandings of and obstacles to, rest - and ultimately that rest will only be found in God. there are questions at the end of each chapter which would make for good small group discussion.

[Samuel Kassing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been chewing on what it means to rest for a while. This was a good book. My favorite chapters were on “Restless Faith”, “Rest and Ambition”, and “Rest and the Digital Age”. This is a quality introduction to the topic. I’d recommend it if you are looking to learn more about his important topic that is so often neglected in our society.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this book came at the right time. My life is in a season of unrest in every sense of the word. The pages of this book helped me to see not only the value and need of rest but the way it can change our lives and how we relate to our Father.

Highly recommend it for anyone who is wanting to prioritize rest.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was helpful for someone who is (personally) productivity-driven and finds her worth in her accomplishments. It gave a wide explanation of what rest was and wasn't and covered various aspects of life in which we struggle with rest.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good writer!

I truly appreciated this books insights. The questions at the end of each chapter were helpful for a group discussion. There author was very authentic and I enjoyed his work.

[Erik Bonkovsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

It read like a book requested by a Christian publisher--following the formula. It started strong but finished with a whimper

[ZViReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good content, but the subtitle didn’t match the content. I was expecting him to discuss rest from a different angle because of the subtitle.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. It cultivates the need to heed the call to rest.

[Ben Aurich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A necessary reminder, especially if you are prone to restlessness and burnout, as I am.

[Adam L Feldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Not exactly what I expected, but surprisingly better! Every believer in Christ should read this.

[Darcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Protestant religious treatise on prayer, worship, full of judgement for American culture and experiences. Not what I wanted, at all. And not enjoyable or beneficial by any means.

[JoDeanne Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years later....
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and less the second half. 😬

[Lynette Karg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am still looking for a favorite book on this topic. This one brings up some interesting thoughts such as what constitutes real rest and how our culture is bad at it, but I thought it fell short in being a thorough yet biblical look at this topic.

[Michelle Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book - talking about what should rest and life really look like and have we chosen the wrong road.

[Rachelle Sperling · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my work one of the central self sabotages that I run into is a plethora of misconceptions on what rest looks like and how we find it. With so many misconceptions it's no wonder that people in ministry so often reach a place of burn out. Koessler's book adds a beautiful and resonant voice to the conversion surrounding the Biblical idea of rest.

As this is a core concept that I engage with (both in my own life and as a Spiritual Director) I have read just about every book that I have come across on the subject and I honestly wondered if The Radical Pursuit of Rest would bring any new insights to the table. It went above and beyond my expectations! Specifically I deeply appreciated the discussions about rest as a place and the unraveling of the Biblical idea of sloth.

This book has joined my short list of recommendations on the subject alongside Buchanan's The Rest of God (which is also wonderful, but has a slightly different focus and a greater emphasis on practical application).

I highly recommend this book.

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to provide a positive review.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions, of course, are my own. I really wanted to like this book. Really, really. The subject matter is so near and dear to my heart, and since it's something I've been wanting to work on personally, I really wanted to get some practical, Biblical thoughts on rest. There was a lot of repetition. Like I would highlight something and then could have highlighted the same main thought 3 more times in the same paragraph with slightly different wording. Some of the ideas had me a little confused and there were some over-generalizations that could have been avoided. I did, however, really enjoy the chapter on rest in relation to technology. ON POINT. That's why it gets two stars.

[Jeri Bidinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

He writes well and has some good images, but the book doesn't go anywhere. Raises topics, chats about them awhile, but goes nowhere really. I was excited by the book's topic and beginning, but it never got off the ground.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some wonderful thoughts, but with a limited spectrum. ARC. Look for my review on englewoodreview.org.