Other days might disappoint, but a day of Sabbath rest will energize you like nothing else. Discover the ultimate self-care hack!
This post is part of the Five-Minute Friday quick write hosted by Kate Moutang. Join us each Thursday night on Twitter (#FMFParty) for fun and fellowship, then grab a pen and start writing when the prompt goes live!

Do Your To-Do Lists Disappoint You?
“Mrs. Ojeda, why do you always say, ‘Thank you that the Sabbath is coming’ when you pray*?” my student asked me.
“I do?” I asked.
“Yeah, you do,” another student chimed in.
“Maybe because I can’t wait for Sabbath rest and I’m so happy God gave us one day a week when we don’t have to do work.”
“But you’re on weekend duty every three weeks,” the first student pointed out.
“Yeah, but I don’t do any other work on Sabbath—I just supervise at church and for meals and activities.”
“What about when you were in school, did you do homework on the Sabbath?”
“Nope. Never. Even in college.”
“How did you get everything done?”
“I don’t know, I just did.” I shrugged. “The same way I get everything done now, I suppose. God gave us Sabbath rest so we could spend time with him—whether with other people in a church setting or out in nature enjoying his creation.”
“I thought Sabbath rest meant we have to just, you know, sleep all day.”
I laughed. “No, it simply means we step away from our normal life and put our focus on hanging out with God instead of our to-do lists, video games, social media, books, homework, and all those other things that want our attention.”
The Beauty of Sabbath Rest
The older I get, the more I appreciate the gift of Sabbath rest. One day each week set aside where I don’t have to do the usual and can forget about projects, deadlines, grading papers, or keeping up. I start the night before and revel in letting go. Often, I’ll go to bed a little earlier and wake up a little later.
Sometimes, I go to church to worship with other believers. Other times, I go on a hike or go birding. We also love camping and exploring. But for 24 hours, I set aside all that looms. Occasionally, if I’ve had a sleep-deprived week, I’ll take a nap in the afternoon.
The beauty of Sabbath rest lies in what happens when the Sabbath ends. Somehow, all those dreadful deadlines and lists of things to do seem much more manageable. My mind has a chance to do a mental reset and cache-clearing. This allows me to start the week fresh with energy and joy.
When Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28) he already had the rest planned out from the beginning. If you’d like to study more about Sabbath rest, you can download a free Bible study.
Feeling weary? Maybe you need Sabbath rest. #Sabbath #fmfparty Click To Tweet*Wondering why my students hear me praying, and why we have discussions like this? Simple. I work at a Christian boarding school for Native American students. Our goal isn’t to ‘convert’ them all to our denomination or religion. Instead, we seek to live out our relationships with Jesus in such a way that kids ask questions and desire to have their own personal relationship with Jesus.

Yours is a very healthy practice of Sabbath rest.
Susan Shipe recently posted…Five Minute Friday – Disappoint!
🙂 It’s all about balance!
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Suspense Books that Will Spook You for Sure
Jesus “already had the rest planned out from the beginning”. So true. I need to keep this mind.
Wemi Omotosho recently posted…When It Doesn’t Look Like You Are In God’s Shelter
Thanks for stopping by! It’s so wonderful to know rest has been in the works from the beginning!
Anita Ojeda recently posted…SCH 022 Seven Hacks for When You Feel Discouraged About Weight Loss
Taking Sabbath is like tithing. Somehow we get more done with less timeb just like 90% of our dollars goes further than 100%. I have been called many times how that works but It’s the one thing God says to treat Him on…
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
Malachi 3:10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mal.3.10.NLT
Mandy Farmer recently posted…Nourish Your Soul
Yes–what a wonderful comparison.
Anita Ojeda recently posted…How to be a Sexy Man in Ten Easy Steps
Sabbath IS such a beautiful gift that I squander too often. I love that you thank God in your prayers for it! You’ve given me some good things to think about.
Amie, FMF #19
Amie recently posted…FMF: Disappoint
I totally agree. We really need this rest. Fmf #4.
I’ve squandered the gift a time or two worrying about some problem, but I’ve discovered that problems need a Sabbath rest, too ;).
Anita Ojeda recently posted…How to Set Relationship Goals for a Good Marriage
For me there is no Sabbath rest,
no succor for my soul;
every day’s a deadly test,
and survival is the goal.
I have to push hard to the place
where strength must fail, then past
the wall, disdaining grace,
for that’s how I will last
through the dreadful days to come,
the pain that soon will be;
it may be smart, it may be dumb,
but this fight’s all ’bout me,
and I’m committed to this course
of facing cancer force-on-force.
Sabbath is a privilege and a must for me as well!
Becky recently posted…A Hope that Doesn’t Disappoint
🙂 It’s a good, good day from our good, good Father!
Anita Ojeda recently posted…How to Set Relationship Goals for a Good Marriage
Sabbath rest … God knew exactly what we’d need …
Linda Stoll recently posted…Are You Expecting?
He knows us better than we know ourselves!
Anita Ojeda recently posted…How to Give Better Help
Amen Anita. Love your post, and I love how you practice your Sabbath rest. I remember as a child, growing up, my family strictly practiced sabbath rest. It’s so hard to do now, try as I do, sometimes it doesn’t work out. Thank you for your insights and encouragement. Your story has brought encouragement to me to keep on trying to meet for rest on the Sabbath…Blessings. FMF #11
Paula Short recently posted…Not So Disappointed After All.
Thanks, Paula! It’s fun to study and learn about the Sabbath as an adult. And it’s a delight to keep it each week!
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Suspense Books that Will Spook You for Sure
I too look forward to my day of Sabbath rest,
I always feel like Sabbath is a gift the Lord has given us.
I’ve become more intentional about Sabbath Rest because it’s like breathing in that fresh air of grace before gearing up for another busy week. Thank you for the wonderful thoughts you’ve shared in your post.
Rest is so important! I know that, but there are times when I definitely need to be better at putting it into practice. It sounds like you’ve got a good routine!
Lesley recently posted…Share Four Somethings: October 2020
Sounds like an application the 20/80 rule to me 🙂
The Sabbath is a gift. What an affirmation of our Creator that God knew what we needed and modeled it.
Yes! I have been so thankful for a day of rest and a day to set aside other things to focus on things of the Lord.
Barbara Harper recently posted…Friday’s Fave Five