It’s a lot easier to teach other people about the importance of Sabbath Rhythm than to practice it yourself. Which is why I’m at the starting line with you. This truly is a “come with me” journey. In arguably the fullest season of my life, I know I desperately need a Sabbath—not just for what I can get out of it, but for how God wants to transform me.
So I took a step into the shallow end of the Sabbath Rhythm pool. I wanted to share about my first attempt.
No Phone
I decided to turn off my phone at 9 am and I kept it off until 2:30 pm. I didn’t have a set goal, but was proud of the window.
Lessons and noticings:
- It was the first church gathering I went to without my phone. And in laughable irony, it was the first time in a decade at the church where they asked us to pull out our phones. For a survey. I guess God didn’t want the church to know my opinions.
- Every time I had a few minutes to spare, I found my hand going towards my pocket to retrieve my phone. It was so convicting how many times I fill dead space with the phone.
- I really didn’t need it. I kept myself alive without it for over 5 hours!
- I always have this nagging, “What if somebody tries to reach me? What if it’s an emergency??”. I had a few text messages. I’m not that important. It is worth the risk, especially if you tell people not to have an emergency on Sundays.
- As soon as I turned it back on, I was sucked into ten minutes of unnecessary catchup. Even after a refreshing break, it’s amazing how fast you revert back to your normal.
The Rest of the Day
I took a 15-minute nap. Without setting an alarm.
I went for a run with my daughter. And then did another small workout. That is a gift in this season.
I threw football with my son.
I played 5 rounds of Rack-O with the kids.
I read a book that was not required for my classes. And then I paused and reflected on what I read. And I didn’t care how many pages I read. It was almost uncomfortable.
We had our Sunday dinner tradition, celebrating around the table with extended family. Feasting and laughing.
It wasn’t perfect. We ran some errands. I thought about my long to-do list often. I don’t know how much I truly connected with God.
But it was a win. I created space. I took a step. I turned off my phone for a few hours. I felt rested. I resisted my list and surrendered it to God.
If you gave Sabbath a try, how was it? What did you notice? Share it with others.