This past summer I decided to do something that felt radical for me. I took a break.
I’m not just talking about a vacation. I actually stopped working. I committed to four weeks of rest without deadlines, meetings, and other obligations. I realized my vision was growing cloudy while squinting at too many to-do lists and hoisting my fatigued body from bed each morning. I knew I was teetering on the edge of burnout and needed to slow my pace for a more extended time.
Some people call it a sabbatical. I call it an exhale. Sabbaticals have their roots in Christian tradition and Scripture. Leviticus 25:1-5 calls for the people of Israel to set aside the seventh year as a year of rest for the land. In the New Testament, Jesus modeled regular rest and solitude. He drew away from the crowds even when the needs around Him seemed to be pressing (Mark 6:45-46). He napped! (Luke 8:22-23). And Jesus chose to devote Himself to prayer instead of simply plowing through (Matthew 26:36).
The first week of my sabbatical I traveled with my family. The second week I slept. I didn’t realize how deeply fatigued my body was until I actually turned off my alarm and let myself sleep.
My last two decades have been filled with birthing babies, raising my three girls, investing in ministry, grieving the death of my first husband, and chasing demanding deadlines. Sleep too often came with anxiety, restless tossing, and mom guilt. I never gave myself real permission to rest.
During one of the weeks, my oldest daughter and I decided to drive up to Princess Campground just outside of Hume Lake in Sequoia National Park for some time off the grid while her younger sisters were off galavanting at summer camp. There in the woods, I felt God’s glory lean in close and begin to restore my tired soul.
From my perch at the picnic table, a cool breeze kissed my neck as my eyes followed up-up-up the trunk of a ponderosa pine. Her sage green branches swayed slightly like a woman wearing a feather boa, promenading across the velvet blue sky. Light streamed between the trunks of the trees. There was no music playing, but there seemed to be a symphony around me. I could hear the flutter of bird wings flapping, the whistle of the wind, and the punctuated play of two squirrels chasing each other down the path.
I saw God’s glory in the blue-crimson flames that danced over the logs of our campfire. I smelled His glory in the earthy scent of the forest, like a lingering cologne. I tasted His glory in the first bite of my s’more sandwich made with cinnamon graham crackers. I heard His glory whisper through unhurried conversations with my girl, who is just starting her senior year of high school and dreaming about the future.
Sometimes we need to create space for our minds to wander, for our hearts to grieve, and for meandering conversation with our people.
Back in Genesis, the Creation story reveals something intentional about God’s architectural plans for the world. He speaks the ocean, heavens, trees, flowers, birds, beasts, sun, moon, and stars into existence in the first five days. Then He takes the dust and sculpts a man, breathing life into him on the sixth day.
Genesis 2:2 tells us “he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (ESV).
That means the first day on earth for humans was actually a day of rest, not work. God created us to rest. Full stop. In rest, we are invited to delight in the garden, to create in community, to cook up feasts, and dare to dream. Our work then flows out of that rest.
On my sabbatical, I was reminded that rest helps us untether our souls from the hamster-wheel pace our culture glorifies. Rest helps us change our speed from striving and sprinting to slowing and noticing.
Rest highlights our idols and distractions and brings us back to the peace found only in our Creator’s arms.
Rest gives us time to abide in Christ rather than chase after the affirmation of others.
In a physical sense, rest is necessary for growth. If we want to build our muscles and endurance, our bodies need both stress and rest. Without resistance, our muscles atrophy or melt away as we age. I lift weights at the gym a few times a week to stress my muscles. This creates micro-tears, which signal the body to send good blood and good nutrition to that area. During rest days, the tiny tears heal and grow back stronger. Our muscles need time for recovery and regeneration — as do our souls.
Arranging my summer sabbatical took preparation. I had to do work in advance and say no to some good opportunities so I had space to rest. I had to discipline myself not to fill our calendar squares so I had unplanned hours and unscripted days. My brain and my body needed time to heal the micro-tears before they became injuries.
This time of sabbatical taught me how much I need space. My everyday harried, trying-to-multitask life leaves little margin to listen to God.
Friend, what about you? When is the last time you fully rested? Do you give your soul space to breathe? When have you granted yourself permission to grieve or take time away from the treadmill of productivity?
You might not have a month for a sabbatical, but you could carve out a weekend, a day, or even a few hours. Arrange for the babysitter. Book the campsite or the hotel. Mark off the time on your calendar, and protect it.
Our culture preaches that time is money and rest is a myth, but I’m starting to believe the unforced rhythms are actually the healing God intended for us from the beginning. Let’s embrace them. Let’s listen closely for the Spirit’s whisper and His voice in the wind.
Dorina helps women discover God’s glory in unexpected places. Subscribe to Dorina’s Glorygram here and follow her on Instagram for encouragement and glory resources.
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
Rest we all need. Otherwise we all burn out. Some people think we can go on all the time. Work work. Like my Dad don’t get me wrong. I love doing my Dad’s Home Help for him. Monday to Friday. But I knew I had to take time of to go on Holiday to rest back in June this year. My Dad wouldn’t have cared if I didn’t take the time of. As my Dad only instreasted in me coming every day Monday to Friday to do his Home Help that I do for him. My Dad kept saying when are you of and when will you be back. I knew my Dad was hitting that the Home Help would not be done as well as I do when as was of. I was right it took me longer when I went back to get my Dad’s back into shape again. But I had to switch of when on Holiday in June for the two weeks and no worry what my Dad house would be like what I got back. After the two weeks I was of. Rest in the Lord and charge my batteries. As if I not taken that time of. I knew I get that I be no good to my Dad my health would really suffer as tiredness would set in. I had to think of myself and be like our Lord he took time to rest after a busy day we see that in Mark 6 verse31 when Jesus said to his Disciples “Come aside by yourselves to deserted place and rest a while” For there were many coming and going and they did not even have time to eat. We could get we could be the same. So it is important for bodies to rest and eat as well to strengthen them as we need it. I so needed that time of in June. Even though my Dad would have had me stay on work work. I do his Home Help on to Love of the Lord and for the Love of my Dad. My Dad is elderly and believes me at 52 he is 82. I am still young and don’t need that much rest. I can do his Home Help and really don’t need it as I am young. I have the weekend to rest. But I need more than just two days at the weekends or I burnout. So I will in December take more time of then too. As to rest in the Lord. As I couldn’t go on without it. As my Dad thinks also it just a Holiday. If I told him it was just time of to rest do nothing like have a lie in or go for coffee. He say but you only take of if going on Holiday. Sure your doing nothing you don’t need the rest. Your still young. You still come help do my Home Help. See some older folks don’t see we all need time of to rest and charge our batteries they think we can even at 52 years old can go. They don’t see we get tired. I have to say no Dad I need time of to rest he not see it. People in Jesus day didn’t see it either. That way Jesus said “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest” Because we all need it. So as not to burn out. If I didn’t do that my I be no good to my Dad. Love today reading Dorina Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx
Dorina says
Dawn, you are a gift to your dad! I pray you find moments of rest even as you serve and love him in this season!
Ruth Mills says
The mental picture of the small tears in stressed muscles having good blood & nutrients rushed to them for healing, struck a chord for me. 6 days a week we work & stress & then we’re given the 7th day of worship & rest. God bathes our souls with His good blood to save us from our sins & He continues to nourish & heal our stress points through His Word, Fellowship & Prayer. May we not take for granted keeping The Sabbath for His glory AND our good! Blessings (((0)))
Dorina says
Amen!!! The power of the blood! What a beautiful perspective!
Peggie Morgan says
Thanks, Dorina for the reminder! I have this note on my refrigerator:
STOP PAUSE WAIT I will now add REST !
Dorina says
So good, Peggie! I need those commands too! 😉
Jill says
I am glad you were able to take some time to rest. To get perspective. To slow down. To enjoy life differently. What a gift. Thank you for sharing with us today.
Dorina says
I wish I had done it sooner, but now I hope to make it a part of every year!
Gail says
This is beautiful!
Dorina says
Appreciate you reading and commenting!
Irene says
Well done, Dorina! I hope lots of other gals follow your lead.
Dorina says
It’s actually hard to take time for rest but so meaningful for our bodies and souls! I hope others will give themselves permission to step into God’s design for us!
Judy Allen says
Amen! Well said, and I couldn’t agree more!
Dorina says
Thanks for reading and commenting, dear Judy!
Donna says
Dorina, your time of “exhale” sounds so restorative. So glad you had that time!
Dorina says
Donna, it took a little while to recalibrate so I could rest but it was restorative once I did!
Lynne Molyneaux says
Thanks for this, Dorina. In June I retired from a 39-year career with only a break five years ago for unexpected surgeries and recovery time, and not a lot of vacation time over the years. I realized that I am burned out from pouring everything into my work for so long. It’s my season now to rest but it’s taking longer to recover than I expected. I also have chronic pain from nerve damage which limits what I can do. My prayer is to really use this new gift of time to focus on the Lord and His many blessings and not to spend as much time on social media and phone games, but also learning that it’s okay to rest.
Dorina says
Yes Lynne, you were created for rest. I pray you can give yourself permission to abide in Him in this new season of your life!
Pearl says
Wow! Two things leapt out at me from your amazing post: 1. “That means the first day on earth for humans was actually a day of rest, not work.” What?! How have I missed that all my life? This is the first time I’ve read that or heard that ever. 2. “Rest gives us time to abide in Christ rather than chase after the affirmation of others.” This. If you should happen to think of it, please pray I will not chase after others’ affirmations but rest in God’s affirmations of me.” So easy to say. But not so much to do… Bless you, Dorina for this post. And may you continue to build a lifestyle of God-honoring rest.
Dorina says
Pearl, thank you for sharing what resonated and challenged you in my post. I am right there with you. Preaching to myself about the power of rest and truly resting in God’s affirmations of me.
banjos37@yahoo.com says
Dorina,
This is a much needed post. Society tells us to do more, hustle, strive, achieve more. All that does is create stress, anxiety & other health issues. Lysa Terkeurst said it best in her book Your Best Yes “Saying yes to everyone & everything won’t make you wonder woman. It will make you a worn out woman with nothing left to give”. Some time ago there was a story of a fast food restaurant in Atlanta airport that challenged Chick-Fil-A to open on Sunday. After one week it was found that Chick-Fil-A did more business in 6 days than all the others combined. Which goes to show us that God was right all along.
Blessings 🙂
Dorina says
That Best Yes book had a huge influence on me a few decades ago. I’m still learning to live in the embrace of rest and trust God for the times of productivity. Thanks for sharing!