Singer-songwriter Josh Garrels is revealing how important it is to find rest in God when creating music.

Garrels is readying his latest album, and explained how he is learning how important finding Godly rest has been to the process.

“Currently I’m trying to finish the rest of this album while staying emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy in the process,” he wrote on Instagram. “I love my work, and I’m learning to enjoy the process, even when it’s taking longer than I’d like.”

In the past, Garrels said his drive to create has led to anxiety when he has lacked adequate rest.

“You see, I’m tired of being harshly self-driven and destroyed by the process (I used to call this artistic passion ),” he revealed. “In the past, finishing albums was an anxiety-ridden endeavor for me, taking its toll on my body, my mind, my family, and even my faith.”

When creating his latest work, Garrels was intentional about spending quality time with God.

“When beginning this album a year ago, I felt like the Lord told me to ‘sing the gospel and spend time with Him.’ So, I’ve been reading, praying, taking long walks and drives around Indiana, and listening,” he said. “At times, choosing soul work rather than deadlines.”

Now for the first time, Garrels is discovering what it means to create an album without all of the anxiety that comes from lacking that quality time with God.

“These new songs come out of that place of rest. And, for the first time I’m almost done with an album while having my body, mind, soul, and spirit intact,” he said.  “It’s a new day.”

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While Garrels’ music can’t be boxed into a CCM label, he previously told NPR about his approach to godly music.

“The music I make doesn’t tend to go there all that often, like, just in awe of God,” Garrels said. “More my music, I would say, is trying to peel back layers and find out where is God in the midst of this city that I live in, and this marriage I’m in, and these things that are going wrong and these things that are going right. Does that make sense?”