The Importance of Sabbath
“Rest as an enemy to effectiveness” I would tell myself. I have to produce, contribute, create. It was guised in helpfulness. “I am working hard to help others” - as if the purpose in exhausting myself negated the reality of what it was doing to me and my relationship with God. Tiredness was a badge of honor. Rest seemed like an obstacle in the path of faithful living.
I went through a season of my life where on Saturdays I would stay up until around 2 or 3 am working on a lesson for the college ministry I was leading at the time. Only to then wake up at 6 AM and head to church for band practice. While working an IT job and being a full time student. Helping with the youth ministry, being an intentional friend, counseling freshmen in the dorm I lived in, and a multitude of other responsibilities. This was the normal rhythm of my life for four years. I sacrificed my time, energy, and emotions for others. I had no boundaries. Looking back, I can see how it was a major contributing factor to burnout.
But in the moment, I fully believed I was laying my life down for my brothers and sisters, I thought I was following in the footsteps of Jesus. But was I? Did Jesus have no boundaries? Did Jesus rest? Did my pushing myself have more to do with those I was serving, or myself?
A Proper Theology of Rest
Rest was designed by God. If I were you, I’d stop reading this article for a few moments and dwell on that. There are some profound implications of God resting on the seventh day of creation before sin entered into the world. God neither tires nor is limited by time, so why would God need to rest?
God did not need to rest, and this is where we find a lesson:
Rest is for more than strength
Rest is not just about gaining strength for the next thing. Don’t get me wrong, rest for us mere mortals has a lot to do with recharging and gaining strength for tomorrow. We must sleep. We must eat. We must drink water. But to boil rest down to simply ‘recharging’ is to miss its beauty.
In his book, The Rest of God, Mark Buchanan writes about a story of a young man sitting in his office seeking advice about work.
“One day he said to me, “I know God is trying to get my attention. I just haven’t figured out yet what he wants my attention for. He must want me to do something.” I thought a moment. “Maybe,” I said, “That’s the problem: you think he wants your attention in order for you to do something. Maybe he just wants your attention. Indeed, this is the essence of a Sabbath Heart: paying attention.”
In our efficiency craved culture, we can see rest as a stepping stone to being more efficient. “If I rest on Sunday, I’ll have more energy to work Monday-Friday.” While that isn’t untrue, it undercuts the primary reason God gave us rest. God gave us rest so that our attention could be recalibrated unto Him.
Jesus said no to good things
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
Matthew 14: 22-23
Imagine the pressure Jesus faced in His earthly ministry. Known for healing, for profound teaching, for being a safe place for spiritual strugglers. No wonder crowds were always near Him. All expecting things from Him. The request made upon Him from people he loved would have been endless. Good requests. “Heal my baby” or “pray for me” or “how do I gain eternal life?”.
And yet, amidst all of the pressure the text says “Jesus dismissed the crowds”. This means Jesus would have sent people desiring good things from Him away without meeting their request. Why? For the purpose of going up on the mountain alone to spend time with His father. Jesus understood the purpose of rest, of personal sabbath. It wasn’t less than recharging for tomorrows work, but it was far more. It allowed Him to slow down and reconnect with His father. It gave Him the space to place His attention onto God so that He could do all that was required of Him in a godly manner.
Jesus’ understanding of rest did not hamper his focused mentality of life. Consider how much good He did in his short time on this earth.
In busy seasons where we are pressed thin, we need to take time to recalibrate our hearts onto God.
Cheap Rest & costly rest
When we think of rest, our minds may drift towards days watching TV or playing video games. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these. I do them and enjoy the leisure and social aspect of them. But when we think of Sabbath rest, we must make the distinction between cheap rest and costly rest.
I don’t always feel like reading my Bible on days off. I don’t always feel like praying or reading a spiritual book. But I know they are helpful for my soul.
It’s a bit like eating potato chips or eating green beans. They both “fill” you. But they have very different long-term effects on your health. So it is with rest, leisure rest isn’t bad. But if we never practice sabbath rest, where we actively move our attention onto Godly things, we will miss the point of rest. Focusing on God.
A secret I’ve been learning lately is this: God meets us in the “costly rest”. I know of no other way to meet with God face to face and fall more in love with Him. The times I’ve chosen to dedicate 25 minutes of my weekend to prayer, the dividends of that payment throughout my week have been well worth the time invested. Namely, that I fell more in love with God during my fellowship with Him.
When you cannot say no
There are seasons in all of our lives where the demands on us simply do not allow us the time to rest that we want. We should not feel guilty about this, for God sees all and knows our hearts. Give God what you do have. “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others.” (Luke 21:1-4) Give God what you have. That is all that is asked of you.
One way to practice rest in busy seasons of life is to implement what I call “mini sabbaths” into your day. While I was working at the hospital as a chaplain, during my commute I would often turn off my car radio once I hit the highway until I arrived at work. I would use this time to pray and reflect on a bible scripture I read the day before. Or during seminary I would take a 10 minute break from studying and go for a walk outside. I remember walking under the leaves as they changed colors, the crisp Louisville air on my face, and a cup of coffee in hand. I had good talks with God on those walks. Sweet times of communion.
Do you build into your life the discipline of the sabbath? It is for your good, not against it.
Seeking to rest more,
Josh.
Reflection questions:
Do you ever say no to good things so that you may spend time with God?
Is your need to drive yourself into the ground truly about serving others? Or has your love of what others say/think about you become an idol?
If you are in a season where you truly cannot say no to things, do you give God the time you do have? Trusting He knows all things and will meet you in those moments?
Do you practice the sabbath? This doesn’t have to be Sunday. But is there a day in your week where you forgo certain things so that you may give greater attention to spiritual things?
Do you build into your days “mini-sabbaths”?
Do you view rest as merely a stepping stone to efficiency? Or do you see it as a place to recalibrate your attention onto Godly things?
