If you’re anything like the rest of the world, you’re always going, busy, and tired, but never rested. It’s impossible to find time for yourself let alone time with God.
But oh, is it vital.
Let’s walk through the importance of carving out a special day for rest.
God Rested
First, go back in time to the week of creation (Genesis 1). Those first six days are full of fruitful work from a God with infinite power and strength. God hangs the stars, fills the earth, and there’s a hint of new life in the air. On the seventh day, God rests (Genesis 2:2–3).
We don’t have that kind of infinite strength. Why do we keep trying to push ourselves harder?
God Commanded Us to Rest
It started with the Israelites and the Ten Commandments. God commanded them to take one day out of the week to rest in Him and to honor that day throughout the generations (Exodus 20:8–11). Did they listen? Nope. Those stubborn Israelites kept working (Exodus 16:23–30).
In later times, people took the command too seriously. The people challenged Jesus, asking if it was lawful to even heal on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10).
The problem for these people was their hearts, though. They weren’t using the Sabbath to honor God—they were seeking an opportunity to accuse the Messiah.
The Sabbath was never supposed to be twenty-four hours of shuttered windows and locked doors. The point was to rest in God. To give God the glory. To talk with Him unlike you could any other day.
The Sabbath Experiment
I started an experiment a few months ago. Well, maybe only sort of an experiment. It didn’t follow the scientific method, although I did have a hypothesis: if I took a break from certain activities, I would feel behind, overwhelmed, and bored. However, it might lead me closer to God.
I decided to cut out specific things for Sundays, including working on this website, checking emails, or doing anything else time-sensitive and pleading for my attention. Instead, I would attend a church service, listen to music, get into the Bible, and pray. Other days included mindless rest when I could do my favorite activities or help others.
The experiment surpassed my wildest expectations, and I still honor the Sabbath months later.
It also surprised me. It surprised me how hard it was to sit still, avoid time-sensitive tasks, and rest in God.
Rest is Life-Giving
Setting aside time to be with God feels next to impossible for most people. But rest in Him is crucial. Without Him, we are dehydrating ourselves. God has already given us the tools—our only problem is that we don’t use them. Prayer and Bible study reveal truths we commonly leave concealed.
Don’t tell yourself “someday” you’ll take a Sabbath. Set aside one specific day every week, and force yourself to stop.
Rest Takes Faith
Handing over my time and commitments is tough. But if I love God, I must give up my agenda and glorify Him with my time.
Rest Takes Away Apathy
With every Sabbath spent in the Word, biblical reminders of God’s love for me are everywhere. Every prayer I write fuels the fire burning in my soul, and every Sabbath rekindles a desire to live for Him.
Rest Makes Us Productive
Being burned out doesn’t help productivity. Rest does. Although this sounds counterintuitive, taking breaks is incredibly important.
The other side of this is the mindset. Do you remember in Exodus when the Israelites gathered double the manna they needed the day before Sabbath so they wouldn’t have to work? I try to do the same thing—I do more work on Saturday when I have a deadline to meet. I actively choose to do the necessary things while still taking the break I need.
Rest Realigns Focus
Pre-determined breaks force us to stop constantly running in circles. During the Sabbath, we can remember our priorities and challenge the things we think are priorities. Every week starts brand-new with a heart ready to live again.
Why We Don’t Rest
Sometimes we think the Sabbath doesn’t apply to us, that it’s not a command anymore, and that our life matters too much for simple things like rest. The truth is, our lives are too important to not rest.
Think of it this way. The Israelites were overworked and didn’t know what life was like without working from dawn to dusk every day, every week, every year. They had no idea how to rest. Yet when they didn’t, God showed them He was the boss.
In a way, just like the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians, we’re slaves to our commitments. We idolize our time and agendas.
This idol is sneaky, disguised as a necessity. But what is necessary? Where do your priorities lie?
We need God every day, but what if we made sure He was a part of every week, no matter our attitudes or idols?
Implementing the Sabbath was helpful in a lot of ways. Now it’s your turn to test it out. How will you use the Sabbath for God’s glory?
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