A God-Inspired Sabbath

There will be times in our lives where God leads us into a period of rest or a “Sabbath”. It may be taking a break from work or something that you do, a hobby, serving, or even a temporary break from a friendship or relationship. These times of rest are there to refresh and replenish you. They might also be there to create margin because God may foresee things coming up that you are getting ready to encounter. You might need extra time and energy in order to face them.

My recent God-inspired Sabbath

Over the last several months I’ve missed my writing, and I miss (and have sometimes felt a little guilt-ridden) about the consistency of new content on my site. Consistency, loyalty, and faithfulness are character traits that I have always valued and strived to achieve and demonstrate. Therefore, it’s been extremely difficult for me to feel like I’m not successfully living up to those traits in my writing over the past year.

Although, I do feel like God, in his kindness and divine foreknowledge kind of gave me a “heads up” that I was going to need to take a bit of a break, a “sabbatical” of sorts, from writing new content and spend some time recycling, updating, and reposting some of the older content on my site. I expected the break to only last for a few months, however, it ended up taking place over the entire year.

Seventh Year Sabbath from my writing

I decided to take a break from writing for my blog (or at least from writing a new post every week). It was a bit of a hard decision. I felt some guilt about it, like I was letting people down or letting God down. When I decided it just felt like I needed some rest, some time off because I couldn’t keep up the way and the pace that I wanted and had been doing. The word “sabbatical” came to mind which then caused me to think of “Sabbath” (aka…rest).

Something made me take a look at how long I had been writing on my blog, and coincidentally, I was just entering my seventh year. God reminded me of the times in scripture where he asked his people to let certain things have their “Sabbath” on the seventh year. He instructed them to let the land rest and not to plant new crops on the seventh year.

Seventh Year Sabbath in scripture

“Plant and harvest your crops for six years, but let the land be renewed and lie uncultivated during the seventh year. Then let the poor among you harvest whatever grows on its own. Leave the rest for wild animals to eat. The same applies to your vineyards and olive groves.” Exodus 23:10-11 (NLT)

“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you have entered the land I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath rest before the LORD every seventh year. For six years you may plant your fields and prune your vineyards and harvest your crops, but during the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath year of complete rest. It is the LORD’s Sabbath. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards during that year. And don’t store away the crops that grow on their own or gather the grapes from your unpruned vines. The land must have a year of complete rest.” Leviticus 25:2-5 (NLT)

“We also promise that if the people of the land should bring any merchandise or grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will refuse to buy it. Every seventh year we will let our land rest, and we will cancel all debts owed to us.” Nehemiah 10:31 (NLT)

This was a great analogy for me because I see my blog as seed planted to feed others spiritually and help them grow. I felt some freedom in resting and even felt better that it was God calling and approving me to do so.

Already enough that will be provision for the year off

Additionally, my good friend Gwen pointed out to me at the time that in those times of resting the land that there would be enough food without the toiling. Likewise, she said, people would find and be nourished by previous posts. I had already written well over 250 teaching posts that were available for readers to peruse and for me to recycle, update, and/or repost.

“And don’t store away the crops that grow on their own or gather the grapes from your unpruned vines. The land must have a year of complete rest. But you may eat whatever the land produces on its own during its Sabbath. This applies to you, your male and female servants, your hired workers, and the temporary residents who live with you.” Leviticus 25:5-6 (NLT)

“But you might ask, ‘What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?’ Be assured that I will send my blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a crop large enough for three years.” Leviticus 25:20-21 (NLT)

Sabbath—a time to be refreshed and replenished

We all need to be refreshed from time to time. It’s important to set aside time for mental, physical, and spiritual refreshment. God mandated a period of Sabbath rest in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11). He, himself, gave us an example of rest when he rested on the seventh day after creation (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:11, Exodus 31:17). It’s important to keep in mind, however, that this Sabbath rest is not meant to be legalistic. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for the benefit of man, not the other way around.

“Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 (NLT)

Additionally, it’s important to keep in mind that there are times and seasons for different things (Ecclesiastes 3). There are times when it’s necessary to work hard and put the time in. Other times we need to replenish ourselves and create margin for God to work in us.

Time to rest and allow God to work

God in his omniscient foresight will often lead us into times of Sabbath rest because he knows that we will need additional margin for the upcoming things that we will face. Sometimes there might be hard times or battles ahead. This was definitely true in my case when God called me to a “Sabbath” on my blog. My seventh year was going to bring a plethora of difficulties that would require a significant amount of my time and mental & emotional strength. Without some margin and a period of rest from certain activities, I would not have been able to endure the things I encountered.

We are not promised a life free of problems, difficulties, or trouble, but we are promised God’s presence and peace through them.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

“…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” Hebrews 13:5b (AMPC)

During these times of trouble, God may lead us to create margin so that we do not become overwhelmed. Part of this is an act of trust…trusting God to fight and work for us in some situations, giving us an opportunity to rest.

“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.” Exodus 14:14 (AMPC)

We are called to rest at some points in our lives, often in cases of situations, circumstances, and/or people beyond our control.

Take Some Practical Steps to See Where You Might Need a Sabbath:

• First, take a moment and examine yourself and your circumstances.

  • Are you feeling overwhelmed or overworked? Do you feel depleted?
  • Do you feel like you are going at a pace that you cannot sustain?
  • Do you have (or are you making) time for godly priorities in your life (i.e. your faith & your relationship with God, family, godly friendships & fellowship, service to God and to others, your health, etc.)?
  • Are you going through any difficult circumstances that might require more of your time and mental & emotional strength? Or, do you foresee anything like this coming in the near future?

• Next, attempt to discern if God is leading or nudging you into a time of Sabbath.

  • Have you felt a sense that God is asking you to lay anything down or aside (even just temporarily)?
  • Is there anything that God is asking you to do less of?
  • Are there any areas in your life right now where God may be calling you to peace and rest and asking you to let him work and fight for you?

• Then, name some specific areas where you need to take a Sabbath and list some specific steps that you can take to rest?

• Finally, remember that God is your provider and sustainer.

It is healthy for you to rest. God did this himself to set an example for you. Your body, mind, and spirit need times of rest and refreshment. He will give the provision and fill in the gaps in the areas where you take a Sabbath. If He’s asking you to lay something aside, know that he has a reason and it’s for your good, not to hurt you.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NASB)

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Where, or in what, is God leading you to a Sabbath rest? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

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If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward!  Share this post via the sharing links below.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)