Practicing Sabbath
What do you do on your Sabbath?
By far, this is the most asked question whenever I'm talking about Sabbath. I think it's very telling of how foreign a concept "rest" is in our society; we want a formula or checklist for the day that literally means "to cease."
The desire is to observe Sabbath well, so we are eager to measure success. We find ways to assess what we are doing and how we did it. And then we compare ourselves to what others are doing, presuming there must be a right/wrong way to rest. Then suddenly, we have plunged ourselves back into the same legalistic rules that Jesus came to condemn and overturn.
Wanting to avoid this Pharasitical mindset is why I spend more time addressing what Sabbath is not instead of what it has to include. For an unmarried woman with three roommates, her day of rest will look vastly different than a married person with young children at home.
A quick note to parents with small children:
be aware of your limitations (kids still need to be fed and changed),
be honest as you communicate what you need
be flexible and establish parameters so that everyone gets time for renewal
start small: a whole day might be inconceivable right now, so try a few hours
The most important part of observing Sabbath is the idea of being instead of doing (thank you, Pete, for this phrase!) Sabbath is about resting, renewing, and refueling not only our wearied bodies but our minds and souls. It's about slowing down long enough to notice, appreciate and celebrate beauty. So, how do you do that? What does it look like for you in your season?
Here are some practical ideas for those who need a starting point:
Sleep in, and wake up without an alarm clock. Linger in bed. Say a prayer; take some deep breaths. Get up slowly.
Journal. Start with a list of what you're thankful for. Take inventory of how you feel, what your week was like, what's surprised or challenged you, and what you need. Ask God to speak, and then give Him time to respond.
Ignore your phone. Put it in a drawer, in another room, or turn it off completely.
Get outside. Being in nature helps many people feel closer to God, but it's also great for the body and mind.
Prepare or pick up your favorite meal or something you've been craving. Eat slowly. Enjoy dessert. Linger at the table. Choose meaningful conversation. Break out the china, or keep a stack of paper plates in the pantry--whichever helps you appreciate more, and stay restful.
Take a nap, or more than one.
Get creative. Play music, bake cookies, paint, take pictures, color, build, or work on the project in the garage. Tinkering with our hands improves our physical and mental health. (This is not a time to tackle the honey-do list; it's for expressing ourselves and taking delight in creating for fun.)
Read something for pleasure--no self-help or how-to books.
Married people: Have sex. Make it the highlight of your whole week.
Practice silence. Sit still. Go for a walk without music. Sit in your backyard or balcony, lie in your bed, have a long shower, whatever you do, practice being instead of doing.
My encouragement is to think about what fills you back up and how you best hear from God. We are so programmed to keep pushing forward that the most challenging idea for many is identifying these things. We forget what brings us joy, and we struggle with how to connect with God.
Start there. Ask the questions.
And then, make one small change this week. Practice it faithfully. Be ruthless in your elimination of hurry (Thank you, John Mark and Dallas Willard).
Happy Sabbath, friends!