In the golden age of work-from-home and 10-hour TikTok deep dives, the term “quiet quitting” has emerged as the rallying cry of millennials and Gen Z.
For the uninitiated, quiet quitting isn’t about storming out of your office with a dramatic resignation letter in hand. It’s about doing the bare minimum at work, refusing to take on tasks that fall outside your job description, and finally prioritizing yourself in a system that seems rigged against you.
Quiet quitting resonates because, for a generation raised on the promise of hustle culture—where your worth is measured by how many side gigs you juggle—burnout is no longer a badge of honor. It’s a health hazard.
But here’s the twist: while quiet quitting preaches boundaries and self-care, it can sometimes morph into disengagement. When you’re clocking out emotionally, it’s easy to lose sight of purpose, connection, and—dare we say it?—the joy of work. So how do we reconcile this cultural moment with a faith that calls us to both work diligently and rest intentionally? Enter: the Sabbath.
Sabbath: The OG Quiet Quitter’s Guide to Life
Long before LinkedIn influencers started preaching about work-life balance, the Bible handed us a blueprint for it. The Sabbath, a day of rest woven into the rhythm of creation itself, is the ultimate act of rebellion against hustle culture.
In Genesis, God worked for six days and rested on the seventh—not because He was tired, but to set an example. And if the Creator of the universe could take a break, so can you.
Sabbath rest is more than just a day off; it’s a declaration of trust. By resting, you’re saying, “God, I believe You can keep the world spinning without my help.” It’s the spiritual antidote to the constant grind, a reminder that your value isn’t tied to productivity. In a world that equates busyness with significance, Sabbath rest invites us to slow down, breathe and recalibrate our priorities.
The Clash of Two Kingdoms: Hustle vs. Holiness
Let’s face it: we live in a world that idolizes the grind. Hustle culture—with its glorified all-nighters, endless to-do lists and motivational quotes slapped on Instagram—tells us that success is only one more late night away. It’s intoxicating, sure, but it’s also exhausting. And for Christians, it’s a direct contradiction to the biblical principle of rest.
Scripture teaches us to work with excellence (“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” – Colossians 3:23). But it also warns against overwork (“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves” – Psalm 127:2).
Balancing these two truths can feel like walking a tightrope. On one side, there’s the pressure to achieve, and on the other, there’s the call to trust God with your time and energy.
This tension is amplified by our cultural obsession with control. Hustle culture whispers, “If you work hard enough, you can guarantee your future.” Faith counters with, “Trust God, who holds your future.” It’s a countercultural way of living that requires us to let go of our white-knuckled grip on productivity and embrace the freedom of divine rest.
How to Quit Quiet Quitting (Without Burning Out)
So, how do we navigate the space between hustle and rest? How do we honor God with our work while avoiding the burnout that comes with overcommitting? Here are a few practical tips:
- Redefine Success: Success isn’t about climbing the corporate ladder or racking up achievements. It’s about faithfulness. Ask yourself: Am I being faithful with the work God has given me? Am I stewarding my time, talents and energy well?
- Schedule Your Sabbath: Treat your Sabbath like a meeting that you cannot cancel. Set aside one day a week to unplug, rest and recharge. Use this time to connect with God, your loved ones and yourself. No emails. No Slack notifications. No “just one quick thing” tasks.
- Set Boundaries: Be unapologetic about protecting your time. Say “no” to unnecessary meetings and projects that don’t align with your priorities. Remember, every “yes” to one thing is a “no” to something else.
- Work with Purpose: When you’re on the clock, give it your best. Work as an act of worship, knowing that your effort honors God. But when the workday ends, clock out—mentally and emotionally.
- Practice Gratitude: Gratitude shifts your perspective from what’s lacking to what’s abundant. Instead of resenting your job, thank God for the provision it brings. Instead of dreading Monday, look for opportunities to glorify Him through your work.
Redefining Success Through a Spiritual Lens
At the end of the day (or the end of the week, if you’re Sabbathing properly), quiet quitting isn’t the villain—it’s a symptom. It’s what happens when we’ve been running on empty for too long, trying to meet impossible standards set by a culture that equates worth with work. But as Christians, we’re called to a different standard. We’re invited to find our worth not in what we do, but in who we belong to.
Balancing hustle culture and Sabbath rest isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. It’s about shifting your perspective from striving to abiding, from control to trust, from burnout to balance. When we embrace the rhythms of work and rest that God designed, we find not only peace but purpose.
So the next time you feel tempted to quietly quit, take a step back. Ask yourself what you’re really longing for. Maybe it’s not fewer emails or a less demanding boss. Maybe it’s rest. The kind of rest that only comes from trusting the One who said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).