The concept of relaxation, while not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, is closely related to themes of rest, peace, and trust in God. Throughout Scripture, believers are encouraged to find their rest and peace in the Lord, which can be understood as a form of spiritual relaxation.

Rest and Sabbath

The principle of rest is introduced early in the Bible. In Genesis 2:2-3 , God Himself sets the example by resting on the seventh day after the work of creation: "By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing, so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished." This divine rest establishes a pattern for humanity, later codified in the Fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11), where the Israelites are commanded to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest.

The Sabbath is not merely a cessation of labor but a time to focus on God, rejuvenate spiritually, and trust in His provision. This trust is a form of relaxation, as believers are called to cease their striving and rely on God's sufficiency.

Peace and Trust

Relaxation in the biblical sense is also tied to the peace that comes from trusting in God. In Philippians 4:6-7 , the Apostle Paul writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Here, the peace of God is presented as a guard against anxiety, allowing believers to relax in the assurance of His care.

Similarly, Jesus invites His followers to find rest in Him. In Matthew 11:28-30 , He says, "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." This passage highlights the spiritual rest and relaxation found in a relationship with Christ, where burdens are lifted and souls find peace.

Casting Burdens on the Lord

The act of casting one's burdens on the Lord is another biblical expression of relaxation. Psalm 55:22 encourages believers to "Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." This act of casting burdens is a relinquishing of control and an expression of trust, allowing believers to relax in the knowledge that God is in control.

Conclusion

While the Bible may not use the term "relax" explicitly, the principles of rest, peace, and trust in God provide a framework for understanding how believers can experience true relaxation. By following God's example of rest, trusting in His provision, and casting burdens upon Him, Christians are invited to find a deep and abiding peace that transcends the stresses of daily life.1. (n.) To make lax or loose; to make less close, firm, rigid, tense, or the like; to slacken; to loosen; to open; as, to relax a rope or cord; to relax the muscles or sinews.

2. (n.) To make less severe or rigorous; to abate the stringency of; to remit in respect to strenuousness, earnestness, or effort; as, to relax discipline; to relax one's attention or endeavors.

3. (n.) Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind.

4. (n.) To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, an aperient relaxes the bowels.

5. (v. i.) To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax.

6. (v. i.) To abate in severity; to become less rigorous.

7. (v. i.) To remit attention or effort; to become less diligent; to unbend; as, to relax in study.

8. (n.) Relaxation.

9. (a.) Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.

3935. pariemi -- to pass by or over, to relax
... to pass by or over, to relax. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pariemi Phonetic
Spelling: (par-ee'-ay-mi) Short Definition: I neglect, omit, slacken ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3935.htm - 6k

3886. paraluo -- to loose from the side
... to loose from the side. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: paraluo Phonetic Spelling:
(par-al-oo'-o) Short Definition: I relax, enfeeble Definition: I relax ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3886.htm - 6k

1590. ekluo -- to loose, release, to grow weary
... Phonetic Spelling: (ek-loo'-o) Short Definition: I am unstrung, become weak, fail
Definition: I loose, release, unloose (as a bow-string), relax, enfeeble; pass ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1590.htm - 7k

447. aniemi -- to send up, produce, send back
... an-ee'-ay-mee) Short Definition: I let go, loosen, release, give up, neglect Definition:
I send up, produce, send back; I let go; I relax, loosen, hence met: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/447.htm - 7k

1932. epieikeia -- fairness, gentleness
... 1932 ("true equity") is a "sweet reasonableness" that knows when to "relax the
requirements concern ing others . . to carry out the of the law" (GR ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1932.htm - 7k

2869. kopazo -- to grow weary
... cease. From kopos; to tire, ie (figuratively) to relax -- cease. see GREEK kopos.
(ekopasen) -- 3 Occurrences. 2868, 2869. kopazo. 2870 . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2869.htm - 6k

7503. raphah -- sink, relax
... 7502, 7503. raphah. 7504 . sink, relax. Transliteration: raphah Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-faw') Short Definition: fail. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7503.htm - 6k

7363. rachaph -- to grow soft, relax
... 7362, 7363. rachaph. 7363a . to grow soft, relax. Transliteration: rachaph
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-khaf') Short Definition: relax. flutter, move, shake ...
/hebrew/7363.htm - 5k

7363a. rachaph -- to grow soft, relax
... rachaph. 7363b . to grow soft, relax. Transliteration: rachaph Short Definition:
tremble. ... root Definition to grow soft, relax NASB Word Usage tremble (1). ...
/hebrew/7363a.htm - 5k

6296. pagar -- to be exhausted or faint
... root Definition to be exhausted or faint NASB Word Usage exhausted (2). be faint.
A primitive root; to relax, ie Become exhausted -- be faint. 6295, 6296. ...
/hebrew/6296.htm - 5k

1826a. damam -- to be or grow dumb, silent or still
... 1), destroyed (1), doomed (1), have...rest (1), keeps silent (1), kept silent (3),
made silent (1), motionless (1), perish (1), quieted (1), relax (1), rest (1 ...
/hebrew/1826a.htm - 6k

That the Ruler Relax not his Care for the Things that are Within ...
... That the ruler relax not his care for the things that are within in his occupation
among the things that are without, nor neglect to provide for the things ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter vii that the ruler.htm

The Pretended Relaxation.
... no means satisfied with its contents, [2711] instead of sending the above-quoted
decree to the governors under him, gave them verbal commands to relax the war ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter i the pretended relaxation.htm

Of Certain Temptations of Satan. Instructions Relating Thereto.
... beginning, then, we should strive to be cheerful and unconstrained; for there are
people who think it is all over with devotion if they relax themselves ever ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xiii of certain temptations.htm

The Answer Telling in what Cases the Determination is to be Kept ...
... down with regard to those fundamental commands, without which our salvation cannot
in any way exist, but with regard to those which we can either relax or hold ...
/.../cassian/the conferences of john cassian/chapter xxviii the answer telling.htm

Of the Diminished Power of the Devils.
... back by the power of the cross penetrating even to the desert, and by its grace
which shines everywhere; or else our carelessness makes them relax something of ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxiii of the diminished.htm

Portrait of a Matron
... But prosperity does not make her relax her efforts so we are told again in verses
17-19 of her abridging the hours of sleep, and toiling with wool and flax ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/portrait of a matron.htm

Dedication.
... We say nothing about these persons, because they not only relax the asseverations
and the promises of God, which are the true foundations of the Christian ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/dedication.htm

On the Good of Widowhood.
... The 16th Canon of Chalcedon imposes such a penalty, with power to the Bishop
to relax it."Abridged from the Benedictine Edition. ...
/.../augustine/on the good of widowhood /on the good of widowhood.htm

An Account of the Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church ...
... become an independent government, no longer under the control of Great Britain,
either in civil or ecclesiastical matters, Mr. Wesley began to relax from the ...
/.../chapter 3 an account of.htm

God Just as Well as Merciful; Accordingly, Mercy must not be ...
... Scriptures, the cable of contention with alternate pull into diverse directions;
so that one (Scripture) may seem to draw tight, another to relax, the reins of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on modesty/chapter ii god just as well.htm

Relax (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) To make lax or loose; to make less close, firm, rigid, tense, or the like;
to slacken; to loosen; to open; as, to relax a rope or cord; to relax the ...
/r/relax.htm - 9k

Remit (3 Occurrences)
... Sir T. Elyot. (b) To submit, refer, or leave (something) for judgment or decision.
5. (vt) To relax in intensity; to make less violent; to abate. ...
/r/remit.htm - 8k

Loose (219 Occurrences)
... 14. (v.) To release from anything obligatory or burdensome; to disengage; hence,
to absolve; to remit. 15. (v.) To relax; to loosen; to make less strict. 16. ...
/l/loose.htm - 38k

Give (13501 Occurrences)
... 14. (vi) To give a gift or gifts. 15. (vi) To yield to force or pressure; to relax;
to become less rigid; as, the earth gives under the feet. 16. ...
/g/give.htm - 16k

Idleness (4 Occurrences)
... i'-d'-l, i'-d'-l-nes: Both words, adjective and noun, render different Hebrew words
(from `atsel, "to be lazy," raphah, "to relax," and shaqaT, "to be quiet"). ...
/i/idleness.htm - 9k

Idle (33 Occurrences)
... i'-d'-l, i'-d'-l-nes: Both words, adjective and noun, render different Hebrew words
(from `atsel, "to be lazy," raphah, "to relax," and shaqaT, "to be quiet"). ...
/i/idle.htm - 18k

Release (61 Occurrences)
... in possession; to quit. 5. (n.) To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation
of; as, to release an ordinance. 6. (n.) The act of ...
/r/release.htm - 26k

Resolve (3 Occurrences)
... 9. (vi) To let the tones (as of a discord) follow their several tendencies,
resulting in a concord. 10. (vi) To relax; to lay at ease. 11. ...
/r/resolve.htm - 9k

Relaxation (1 Occurrence)

/r/relaxation.htm - 7k

Dissolve (4 Occurrences)
... liquefy; to soften. 4. (vt) To solve; to clear up; to resolve. 5. (vt)
To relax by pleasure; to make powerless. 6. (vt) To annul ...
/d/dissolve.htm - 8k

What does the Bible say about rest and relaxation? | GotQuestions.org

Does the Bible say anything that would apply to getting a massage/massage therapy? | GotQuestions.org

Does the Bible say anything about insomnia? | GotQuestions.org

Relax: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus