Lesson 2: The Benefits of Physical Rest and the Sabbath
For many of us, when we think of rest, we imagine taking a break from work so we can relax and recover (ahem, who here is imagining a tropical getaway right now?!) While this is true about rest, let’s dig deeper and discover the life-changing benefits of Sabbath rest.
Sabbath rest is a new way of living. It’s not a getaway, a vacation, or a retreat. It’s something that you can actively choose each and every day so that you may experience peace, wholeness, and blessing.
Sabbath rest is simple: it’s being with God with no expectations.
Hebrews 4:10 shares “for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his (or her) own work, just as God did from his.” Just as physical rest helps restore our bodies and minds, spiritual rest is about us spending time with Jesus so that we may be secure in our identities, finding wholeness and completeness in Christ, not in our own performance.
The practice of the Sabbath is to set aside one whole day for resting in God. Does this feel like a challenge to you? Trust us, it is challenging for us too! But the reward for resting in God is worth it! We encourage you to start small and try to make a daily commitment to spending time with God. We practice spiritual rest by reading His word (Heb. 4:12), praying/talking to God (Heb. 4:7), living in community with other believers (Heb. 4:2), and living by the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us (Rom. 8).
Rest (physical and spiritual) helps you:
- Manage stress and anxiety
- Delegate tasks
- Lead others well
- Prioritize self-care habits and routines
- Have confidence in Christ
- Feel at peace with your present circumstances
- Reduce inflammation in the body
- Have a positive attitude
- Listen to the Holy Spirit
- Find an energy boost
- Discover your creativity
- Have effective sleep patterns
- Learn how to receive and give love
In a world full of rush, we must find time to rest in God. How you and I nourish our bodies and souls will directly affect how much space and time we commit to listening to the Spirit for wisdom on how to love our people, place, and purpose.
Action Tasks:
- Based upon the practices stated above, about engaging in spiritual rest, which practice do you hope to grow in?
- Reading God’s Word
- Praying/Talking to God
- Living in Community with Other Believers
- Activating the Power of the Holy Spirit Inside of You
"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."
- Isaiah 11:2