Guarding Your Soul and Sabbath

Our church elders have come up with what some might think is a peculiar mission statement. One of the first words in it is “rest.” The complete statement is: “We exist to make disciples who rest, walk, and share in the love of Jesus.” You ask, “Why start with rest?” Our elders loved the idea of framing salvation as a rest from our work, our guilt, our shame, and our anxiety. The work of Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection allows us to rest completely in Him. In fact, isn’t this how eternal salvation is framed? “Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people” (Hebrews 4:9, CSB). Our elders want to disciple people who are constantly leaning back on Jesus and His finished work.  

 

Ah, but what does this coming “Sabbath rest” have to do with life now? We admit, our salvation – while fully secured in Jesus – is not fully enjoyed by us right now. It can’t be while we remain here, muddling on in toil, weary and worn, waiting for these cursed bodies to die. We battle often in exhaustion, foes without, and sins within. Where is this rest now? 

 

Here are some bits of advice that come from watching others and working on my own soul. The real measurement is how a Christian finishes the race, not how he or she starts it. Do the saints show more signs of joy and kindness and anticipation as they age, or do they shrivel in bitter pettiness and habitual pessimism? Do they model someone who truly is resting in Jesus?

 

 

Do you believe God is God? If so, can you turn off your productivity, anxiety, and busyness because He is trustworthy? He is on the job, right? He is God. You are not. Consider these words: “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him” (Psalm 62:5, CSB). Is your hope in your effort or in His? Do you believe in His sovereign nearness? This is the discipline of bringing your thoughts captive. 

Do you believe our Heavenly Father is satisfying and safe? Or do you still believe that something else will satisfy? Do you think you are the captain of your destiny? Ironically, God gives us words to fight our overthinking and our fight to be in control. David says in Psalm 131, “I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like a weaned child.” In God, we have all we need to be safe and satisfied. This is the discipline of daily resting our souls in communing with Him. Call it devotions or call it resting. Is God your satisfaction and safety?

 

Do I believe that I can experience rest while living on the battlefield of life? Was the seventh day of creation concept a hoax? Or was it devoid of all application now that the world is under the curse? Was the fourth commandment given to Moses a mistake? Or does it have some lasting merit? Here is where observation has helped me. From those I have witnessed and from the way I have tried to live, working six and resting on the seventh works. I am not speaking of legalism, which is unrestful in itself. I’m talking real rest in the thoughts of God’s goodness.

 

As a pastor, I found Fridays were the best days to take off. And I worked hard to not think pastor thoughts. I have said hundreds of times jokingly but seriously, “I don’t even pray for the congregation on my day off. If God can’t handle them on my day off, then who do I work for?”

 

 

If you’re a pastor, it’s hard to rest. Ministry never ends. We grow a messiah mentality that says we have to always be there. Ministry work is hard to manage, so we often find ourselves behind. And did I say, ministry never ends? 

 

Ah, but we are urged by the Master to “Come away and rest a while.” But how? Even if I take a day off, my thoughts are drawn back to people and projects, messages and ministries. This is where the work to rest is needed.

 

Planning a day off takes work. I’ve mentioned that in 35 years of pastoral ministry, we found Friday to be the best day to rest. For one thing, there are lots of good events and activities on Fridays. Also, Fridays lead into Saturdays which are partially off. I say partially because even if there are no funerals or weddings, by 4:00 Saturday afternoon I would begin to feel the weight of Sunday’s sermon. Taking Friday off also meant I could not leave the office Thursday until Sunday’s sermon was complete. It’s much better to stay up until midnight Thursday studying than to do that Saturday night.

 

Scheduling a day off doesn’t guarantee rest. For me, I had to fight the creep of ministry thoughts. I would have to preach to myself that God can handle it. I can rest. I have no obligation to think about church stuff. Oh sure, there is the occasional emergency. But 98% of what comes your way on your day off does not need your attention. Let me tell you, the practice of having a full day from all church-related thoughts is liberating. 

 

One more bit of advice about scheduling rest: take good vacations. I’m not talking about an expensive vacation, but a good one. By good I mean good and long! You can quote me on this next statement. Pastors ought to have off four weeks of paid vacation every year. They ought to take three weeks consecutively at the beginning of the summer and take the fourth one between Christmas and New Year’s. There isn’t space here for me to make my full argument for this, but I’ll go toe-to-toe with any church committee or elder board to make this case. 

 

So let’s say you’ve been given four weeks off. What are you going to do with them? We didn’t have a ton of money, but a marriage counselor who was working with my wife and me urged us to find something fun we’d enjoy doing together. We bought a used travel trailer and for five summers we hauled our kids all over. They complained at times, but now looking back they talk with fondness about the experiences. Staying with in-laws cuts down costs. There are a host of ministries that provide inexpensive vacation places for pastors and their families.

 

Here is what I found. It took me the first week to decompress. I’d be grumpy and very tired. The second week I’d rest really well. And the third week I was full of energy and anticipating going back to work. Often, we’d arrive home around mid-July and discover that church work for the next six weeks was rather light. 

 

It takes some discipline to plan a day off and a vacation. But resting well in the goodness of God is what we’ll be doing for eternity. Why not get a little taste of it now? 

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 David is the Co-Founder & Director of New Initiatives, Small Town Summits.