“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” —Matthew 11:28-30 TPT
The journey into implementing a sabbath started out with a simple thought that I needed to explore rest more closely. Taking a half day on Sunday to rest in His word, write and linger longer in my reading turned into a season of fasting from social media. In the midst of fasting from social media I decided to break up with my FitBit (more on this later).
In all this the realization that distraction was in fact more my problem then busyness. My mind was always so busy with other things that I stayed in a constant state of distraction NEVER fully present in the moment. In my twenties I wore multi-tasking as a badge of honor and now in my early forties I want rest and presence to be the mark of my life.
Being fully present with God on Sunday morning leads to being fully present with my family on Sunday afternoon which leads to being fully present with myself. The overflow of my dedicated time to rest with God has lead to more time with my family and myself.
Not having the ability to grab for social media every time there is a lull in my day opened my eyes to how often I was grabbing for my phone to fill the void which then leads to numbing. The thing about numbing is we don’t just numb the pain eventually distraction begins to numb the beauty as well.
“Our soul remembers what the mind easily forgets. What we pour into our soul today may seem inconsequential, yet it will provide a stabilizing anchor for the future. But when our anchor is made of the false material of legalism, freedom is stuck on the bedrock of false teaching.” Shelly Miller, Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World
As I finished Shelly Miller’s book on Sabbath yesterday I realized how much her words and the rhythm of rest have changed my weekends. My Saturday’s are more purposeful and my Sunday’s are more free and relaxed.
I am learning to embrace whatever I am doing fully engaged. It’s funny to think I avoided sabbath for so many years out of fear of legalism when in truth the last thing a rest day brings is rules and regulations.
Rest can be lingering longer with a book.
Rest can be meeting a friend for coffee.
Rest can be taking a hike.
Rest can be watching a movie with my family.
Rest can be exploring the Flower Fields.
Rest for me is now about disconnecting from my to do list and exploring the world undistracted.
With three weeks left of Lent I wonder what I will bring into my everyday life. I wonder if I will continue to explore these ideas unhitched from technology or will I jump right back into my old ways.
The truth is the more time I spend less distracted the more I realize how precious every moment is in this life. Our words, our time, our families, our friends and our inner lives matter more in the light of sabbath.
If you haven’t explored taking a day of rest or a half day of rest from the chaos of the world I pray my words will nudge you to giving it a try. It was hard at first and now it is the highlight of my weekend.
“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
