Recently our church has been participating in a sermon series entitled Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (EHS). It is an 8-week series that we are also studying in our small group. One theme that has stood out to me over the course of this study is the necessity to practice rest, Sabbath, and time each day and each week to be still and connect with God and our inner self. When we practice rest, we slow down. We can then focus on the goodness and blessings in life, rather than the trials and tribulations that come our way. The author, Peter Scazzero, quotes Wayne Muller: “Sabbath requires surrender. . . If we refuse rest until we are finished, we will never rest until we die. . . Sabbath says, Be still. Stop. There is no rush to get to the end, because we are never finished.” ( EHS Day by Day p. 128)
I admit it is tempting to do, do, do. Always. Yet there is so much truth in the fact that we never finish doing. There is always something more to be accomplished, completed, conquered. Yet, renewal and inspiration come in the moments and hours of rest, of Sabbath. We need to get away from doing and we need to be in the moment. We need to recognize and even embrace our limitations. Resting from work, whether scheduled, unscheduled, paid, or unpaid, helps us regain proper perspective and refocus on what is truly important. Times of rest and Sabbath sustain us in the busy times of having to do.
I recently had covid and was “out” for most of the month of October as this virus assaulted my system just as I was recovering from another infirmity. I was so exhausted and had so little energy that I planned my excursions from my chair and my bed. If I needed something from the back laundry room fridge, I planned to get it when the laundry needed transferring to the dryer. If I had to go upstairs, I knew that one trip would decimate me. I scaled that mountain as little as possible. Being so sick, caused me to take a look at my priorities and what was truly important for me to accomplish. It helped me consider my limitations. and allowed me more time for unplanned rest and extended Sabbath. I spent time thanking God for many things in my life, including that I was still at home and not in the hospital, that I had loved ones to help me, who cared, and who prayed for me.
When it comes down to it, rest and Sabbath help us “slow down and take a longer view of our lives” (p. 126). It helps us focus beyond the present moment, the urgent circumstance. It helps us practice for eternity. I need to remember that rest is the balance of work, not the opposite of work. We all need balance in our lives. How are you balancing your time and building times of rest into your busy life?
