Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World

by Shelly Miller

Shame is the fear of being unlovable, and when we live as if we are unlovable, that mindset becomes a stumbling block to those around us. ...

You must become compassionate toward yourself first in order to become compassionate...

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you

how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28–30 MSG Week by week, as we take baby steps toward making rest a weekly rhythm, many begin recognizing the myths they’ve believed wrongly about Sabbath.

The brief encounter with my doctor brought the realization about the level of difficulty people have in making allowances for rest, even for a few hours.

God invites you to rest because he loves who you are. When you abide with him in Sabbath, an unshakable confidence shines from the inside out, enticing others toward the gift of rest as well.

Waiting for God to answer prayers isn’t a spiritual game of chance. It’s in the spiritual wilderness where we find God is working quietly on our behalf. In the silence, he is preparing all the details for what lies ahead. Sabbath is waiting for Christ to come into our everyday,

messy, uncomfortable life and making sense of it all be...

When his face is shining upon us, people notice the brightness, and Light dispels the myths.

Sabbath is a time to transition from human doings to human beings.

when it comes from ministry leaders, I know the question piques from a place of quiet desperation—a weariness that assumes inserting rest into an over-scheduled agenda is unrealistic, if not impossible.

When others point out your overtired state, is your response, “I’ll rest when the work is done”? Do you bemoan invitations for coffee or conversation? Are you easily irritated by the needs of others? Do you argue with family members on the way home from church because they insist on staying afterward to talk with people? Do you plan ways of escape to avoid interacting with people?

Great questions for the heart and mind

It might surprise you to know that all of these questions aren’t made-up scenarios, they are real-life examples—responses from faithful volunteers and ministry leaders in different places and circumstances of life. They are red flags that the time to stop is long overdue because their identity is slanted by their drivenness. Perhaps you can see yourself reflected in these questions.

“Sabbath is possible because of setting an intention about it—not just having an intention about it,” explains Jan, a spiritual director who is passionate about soul care.

When there is Sabbath rest in my life, I find ministry springs forth from a spiritual place rather than a frantic, flesh-driven place. When I am not incorporating Sabbath, it is oh-so-easy to fall into people-pleasing and doing things for prideful or selfish motives rather than using spiritual discernment

a lack of rest leads to a wilting capacity. What begins as a life calling, exploring uncharted destinations filled with adventure and vistas of influence, eventually folds in on itself as we encounter the inevitable storms of life. Has it been a while since you’ve exhaled?

those in leadership, lack the inner permission to slow down and get help.

Sabbath is a life raft Jesus extends to us every week to prevent us from drowning in our work. It’s not enough to know how to get to the other side of your busyness—it is doing something about it that will set you free.

Resistance is an outcome of self-reliance. And self-reliance almost always leads to self-doubt. And most all self-doubt is rooted in comparison, that fear of insignificance that petrifies.

“How are you?” with “I’m rested.”

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“Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or don’t speak? Hear or don’t hear? See or don’t see?” (see Exodus 4:11).

In the same way Moses wrestled with God’s belief in his gifts,

resistance. Will you let fear of the unknown and the need for certainty keep you from rest?

Or will you push past “self” vying for first place and trust him with your time, r...

heroic. In this I find solace, knowing perfection is never the goal of God’s friendship with us.

plans something fun, restful, and nourishing on the Saturday afternoon and evening beforehand. And after church on Sunday, she makes an allowance for rest by saying no to socializing over lunch. Of course, there are always exceptions when appropriate. Instead of a long lunch out, she spends time watching movies, going for a walk, dipping into crafts, and enjoying some carbs to make the day celebratory, different, and most of all, replenishing.

Many report that planning ahead—selecting recipes, checking the pantry, making grocery lists, thinking through upcoming meetings and appointments, and saying no to some good invitations is worth the effort. Preparation preserves peace, not just for those who lead but for the way intentional rest translates into healthy ministry:

If you are a leader, whether on a grand scale or within the small group of people living under your roof, you must be compassionate to yourself first before you can be compassionate to others.

When was the last time you were compassionate to yourself?

dedicate the first hour of your day off to rest, reflect, and abide in God’s presence before taking a shower, cleaning up breakfast dishes, or starting DIY projects. I have a hunch that one hour will stretch once you experience the benefits of peace.

The key to successful rest periods is preparing for him to come. Walk toward Sabbath instead of away from it. Make meal plans, shop, and run errands ahead of time and find yourself anticipating the joy of an extended period sans household duties.

Keep your phone and laptop turned off for the time set apart for Sabbath. Eliminating distractions and creating boundaries with those in your spheres of influence provides an atmosphere of healthy respect that becomes surprisingly contagious.

Sabbath is about celebrating the goodness of our Creator.

Laugh, play, watch a movie, and give yourself permission for feasting. Enjoy food and drink that you normally don’t allow yourself during the other six days of the week. Sipping a favorite tea, savoring a favorite food, or popping open a bottle of champagne on the day you choose Sabbath can make the time feel different, special, other than.

When suffering through loneliness of heart or the pain of disappointment, rhythm becomes a saving grace in the wilderness.

At the same time, rhythms of rest provide preparation for busyness inherent in seasons of spiritual springtime.

“What I’m hearing you say is that being fully present with people is a priority.” Processing

A hurried-up-on-the-inside approach to Sunday morning worship results in scattered and rushed responses to people who are looking for guidance and empathy.

Choosing to leave work undone for rest isn’t a sign of weakness and failure. On the contrary, choosing rest over work is the ultimate act of brave trust in God’s sovereign hand upon creation. He is in charge of our minutes.

A renewal of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit informs leadership decisions with great results.

Sabbath as a rhythm of life changes the questions of life from how to who.

Sabbath is a weekly reminder that God cares more about who you are than what you do.

Admitting our brokenness is the best place to start.

You often feel like you need someone else to handle the hard stuff, the stuff that overwhelms you, that you don’t think you are capable of doing on your own. You think other people are more equipped than you. And I’m showing you, right now, that you can do this. Because I’m with you and I’m enough.

I’m no longer afraid of tripping on the oversized pant legs of my indecision in moments of adversity. Faith stood the test in surrender. I met God on his terms, not my own.

Alan Nelson describes voluntary brokenness as the kind that allows God to do whatever he wants with us.

Or you can respond positively to it and mature. In essence, you can go through it, or you can grow through it.

he is describing a person void of rest,

In our fast-paced, microwave, drive-thru world, we can miss the meaning of life blurring past when we avoid suffering and the ways God uses difficulty to re-route us. Romans says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens

our confident hope of salvation” (5:3–5 NLT).