Sabbaths are for our hearts and minds and not just our bodies. And while sometimes one area is needed more than others, we eventually need rest in every area of our life.
Physical Sabbath
Our schedules are filled as we move from one activity to the next often with little to no downtime. And in the midst of all our busyness it’s good to have regular breaks from our usual activities.
The physical Sabbath includes an intentional practice of stillness – taking a moment to pause and otherwise refrain from our compulsive doing.
We often think of this physical rest when we consider the Sabbath. But we also need mental and relational Sabbaths.
Mental Sabbath
Our attention is bombarded at every turn. And often we add to the noise by constantly consuming news, podcasts, videos, social media and the like.
Sometimes we justify this perpetual mental stimulation as various forms of self-help or our attempts to be informed citizens. But regardless of our motivations, we still need a break from the constant mental activity we engage in.
A mental Sabbath is learning to practice silence – a space where we’re not taking in more information or trying to figure anything out.
Of course the mind will still be active. But we’re not intentionally trying to hold on to or cultivate particular thoughts. We simply let the mind be.
Relational Sabbath
It takes a lot to be wholeheartedly present with others. And daily our heartstrings our pulled as we seek to care for those around us.
Constantly being “on” for others eventually wears us down. We need regular rhythms of personal space to step back and breathe.
A relational Sabbath is our moment to practice solitude – withdrawing from the relational demands of others to reground our hearts and enjoy being our unfiltered selves before God
Remember the Sabbath physically, mentally, and relationally. Your soul will thank you.
Photo by Erwann Letue on Unsplash
