3 Radical Benefits I’ve Gained From Having A Sabbath Practice
What ancient spiritual wisdom has taught me about productivity and wellness
Like any good southern Christian in the Bible Belt, I was taught about the ten commandments — and how all of them still apply (don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, etc.) except for the Sabbath. I was never really told why, just that we don’t follow laws like that now that Jesus has died.
In recent years, my eyes have been opened to the continued need for such a practice, especially in such a frenzied and hurrying society.
During my senior year of high school, I read both The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and To Hell With the Hustle and listened to a podcast that both the authors had put together.
My mind was blown by these new ideas. I didn’t have to work myself to death or “hustle for my worthiness” as Brene Brown might put it? It was a novel idea I was rather taken with. But all of this still leaves the question…
What is a Sabbath practice?
While everyone practices differently and there’s debate about how we’re supposed to do it, there are some barebone principles we can all be aware of as for how the practice is supposed to go.
Here’s what I walked away with when I started to practice my own…
1 — A realization that I am not a machine
Sometimes I need to “curl up in the bed and cover up my head” as my mom always said growing up. I am not a machine that can simply go and go without stopping, as much as I’d like to be.
I can’t write when I haven’t consumed something inspiring. I can’t think when I haven’t had some peace and quiet. I can’t socialize when I haven’t been alone. I can’t move when I haven’t eaten.
“Here’s my point: the solution to an overbusy life is not more time. It’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what really matters.”― John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
Rest is a need just as visceral as thirst or hunger. I need time apart from work and the hustle just like I need to drink water and eat something when I’ve been moving my body.
We were not built to work forever or all the time, suffering under the cruel taskmaster of the modern world that never seems to stop asking of us.
2 — An (ironic) understanding that rest takes work
Original Sabbath practice was arguably a lot easier than it is today. The reason for this is that we have more distractions and things to occupy our minds with. There are TikToks to watch, Instagram feeds to keep up with, Target errands to make, and emails to answer.
Work, demand, wants, and cravings are everywhere — all things that the Sabbath practice asks us to step away from.
“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden
I’ve learned through practicing Sabbath that an intentional life where I’m not constantly swayed by advertisements, people vying for my attention, and work is really difficult.
There’s some intrinsic work involved in setting up barriers between me and my biggest distractions. While they pay off in the end, rest oftentimes takes preparation and intentional effort.
3 — A renewed appreciation for the work I have to do
After practicing Sabbath these past few weeks, I’ve been able to come back to work better than ever. In fact, one of the most well-written pieces I’ve ever put together was completed before and after my Sabbath.
“Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.”― Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
I went into Sabbath working on it and decided to step away from it as soon as the sun set on Friday night. On Saturday evening I came back to the piece with a fresh perspective and was able to finish it on Sunday.
I could tell that what I’d put together was new, better than other things I’d written on similar topics. I was particularly inspired and could see the impact of my Sabbath practice on my writing ability.
A Sabbath practice can help you reconnect with your humanity, establish a time where you step away and rest (something we all need), and get reconnected with your work and why it matters to you.
I would recommend a Sabbath practice to anyone feeling burnt out or overwhelmed (which is probably everyone…) and finding a place for it in your life. It’ll impact your personal life, your work, and your ability to set and hold boundaries and keep your cool in hard situations in a positive way.
“A world without a Sabbath would be like a man without a smile, like summer without flowers, and like a homestead without a garden. It is the most joyous day of the week.” — Henry Ward Beecher
My Sabbath practice has helped me to find myself again, figure out what matters, and move through my week with much-needed rhythm and respect for my limitations.
If my thoughts have inspired you to start your own practice, I’d love to hear about it in the comments! Best of luck. (:
