Rest and Sabbath were... created so we could rest in the promises of God. Those promises include His ability to provide even on the days we aren't working.
"You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and son the seventh day he rested and was refreshed." Exodus 31:14-17 (ESV)
I'm tempted to say it's the most ignored commandment in the entire Bible. Between rushing here and there, maintaining rigid schedules, and filling our ears with commotion from the media, it's no wonder we feel so exhausted. If everyone feels "tired," why aren't we engaging in habits that will help resolve the issue?
I'm talking about cultivating silence in a noisy world, and here are three reasons I believe we currently aren't but should strive for this healthier habit:
1. We Fear Missing Out
In Romans 12:2, we're told not to conform to the patterns and customs of this world: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (ESV).
For most of us, we think of conforming to the "world" as participating in worldly and sinful habits. For example, partying, cursing, stealing, lying, getting drunk, having sex with whoever we want, committing adultery, and so on (1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:20-21, 1 Peter 4:3). While each of these things is sinful and worldly, other bad habits can also arise if we aren't careful.
What do I mean? When we ignore rest and obeying the Sabbath because we fear that we will miss out, we're ignoring one of God's most holy and sacred commands. God didn't rest on the seventh day because He needed it; He rested because He knew we would need it. Rest is a gift to us, and it's something He offers His children.
According to the world, rest makes us weak and lazy. It's time wasted that we could've or should've been productive, accomplished extra tasks, joined a gym, completed a workout program, and achieved more goals. We're even told by well-meaning Christians that we could've used that time to serve more, read our Bibles more, pray extra diligently, and host more events. But nothing about those things in this context sounds holy or biblical.
Scripture tells us that the Sabbath is an opportunity to trust God (Exodus 16:23), rest in His Promises (Exodus 20:8, Proverbs 30:5-6, Psalm 145:13-14, 2 Peter 3:9), and take a break from our labors (Hebrews 4:9-11). Embracing the Sabbath despite opposition to "do it all" and never take a break is countercultural. There will be many people who don't understand your choice to carve out space to rest. But we're living to please God, not man (Galatians 1:10). And this is something I encourage everyone to pray about and evaluate for their lives.
Here are some practical ways to incorporate rest into your life:
-Be inquisitive. Ask God how He wants you to carve out time for rest. Ask God to define rest for you and what this looks like mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and environmentally.
-Start small. Even if it's five minutes every other day, taking just a few minutes to pause and relax can do wonders for your overall health. If you're struggling to start small, ask a friend, spouse, or family member to keep you accountable. You could even ask them if they'd be willing to take these pauses with you when you do.
2. The World Doesn't Understand
The second reason we struggle to embrace the Sabbath is because all around us, the world doesn't understand. Rest is not built into how we see humans living day-to-day. From sunrise to sunset, we're grinding to get things done, eat right, work out, accomplish tasks, have a love life, take care of ourselves, our kids, and our families, and still somehow have time for fun.
Hebrews 13:14-15 says it this way: "For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name" (NLT).
Restoring rest in our lives requires us to block out the noise. While I wish I could tell you that you have the power to make noise cease to exist, it simply isn't the truth. The noise of this world will always be present in our lives. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, it's possible to create sacred spaces and moments of rest in our daily lives.
The world isn't created to understand, and that's okay. 1 John 3:13 reminds us it may even hate us: "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters if the world hates you" (NIV). But remember, we're living for the approval of God and not man. In this world, we may face trouble and persecution, but Christ has already overcome the world (John 16:33, NIV).
Here are some practical ways to incorporate silence into your life:
-Pause. Especially when you're feeling stressed out or anxious, it's important to pause and make space for rest. Pausing when you have a lot to do can often initially cause more anxiety. This is normal, but it can get better over time and with practice. Try pausing for two minutes before you get out of bed in the morning and for two minutes before bed. Use this time to pray, deep breathe, and ground yourself in the moment.
-Wear headphones. While I wouldn't recommend doing this all the time, getting away from the noise could also include wearing noise-canceling headphones. I like to use headphones when I'm in spaces that are inherently loud or I am trying to really focus and concentrate on a task. If wearing headphones isn't your thing, I would also encourage you to be cognizant of where you spend your time. If loud coffee shops or stores bother you, try libraries or college study rooms for quieter spaces. It sounds silly, but getting away from the noise can help you cultivate time for sacred moments more often.
3. We're Scared of What Will Happen
If you're anything like me, one of the main reasons I struggle to rest isn't because of a fear of missing out or going against the grain, it's because I'm scared of what will happen if I stop. Although I know I'm human and my energy and time are limited, I often buy into the belief that I can do it all. Can you relate?
Rest and Sabbath were never created to make us fearful or avoidant. They were created so we could rest in the promises of God. Those promises include His ability to provide even on the days we aren't working. In Exodus 16:21-36, the Israelites learned this lesson the hard way.
Even after God provided manna and quail, the people were tempted to cease their work. Why? I suppose because, like us, they feared what would happen if they didn't spend that seventh day working, being productive, and producing a plentiful crop.
Here's the good news: If we're working hard, in a right relationship with Jesus, and seeking to honor Him, He gives us rest (Psalm 127:2). He keeps His promises, He provides, and He desires us to trust Him with the rest. We don't need to tire ourselves ceaselessly for fear of what might happen if and when we take a moment to rest. Instead, we can choose to embrace Him for who He is and what He's done and submit in obedience to His Word.
Here are some practical ways to overcome fear in your life:
-Learn which coping skills work for you. As someone with clinical anxiety, I would never tell you to just stop worrying. I know it isn't that simple. But one thing my counselor has me do when I'm scared to rest is to do it anyway. Sometimes the greatest way to overcome fear is to do the exact thing you're afraid of doing. While this isn't a warrant to make bad or unwise decisions, I hope it encourages you. The only way you will know how rest will affect you is by resting (trying the thing that scares you). Deep breathing, journaling, or taking a bath while resting are coping skills that can also make this process a little easier.
-Write it out. A second powerful way to overcome fear in your life is to remind yourself of Scripture. I do this by writing out phrases on sticky notes and placing them around my home where I will see them often. Reciting them daily realigns my vision and reminds me that I have nothing to be afraid of when I embrace God's abundant gift of rest.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Ant Rozetsky
