• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Candidly Christian

Real Women. Real Life. Real Faith.

  • Blog
    • Most Recent
    • The Gospel
    • Faith
    • Prayer
    • Self Worth
    • Anxiety
    • Chronic Pain
    • Marriage
    • Parenting
  • Resources
    • Candid Books
    • Free Resources
    • Recommended Resources
    • Resources For Christian Bloggers
      • Blog Post Checklist
      • Christian Link-Ups
  • Scriptures to Live By
    • Bible Verses for When the Struggle is Real
      • Bible Verses for When You Feel Worthless
      • Scriptures for When Your Heart is Hurting
      • A Scripture To Trust God When You’re Afraid
      • Scriptures for When You Feel Inadequate
      • 3 Scriptures to Find Balance in an Unbalanced World
      • 5 Bible Verses for When You Feel Alone
      • 6 Bible Verses to Read When You Feel Anxious
      • 5 Life Gives You Lemons Verses
    • Scriptures for When You Need Help
      • Scriptures to Help You Overcome Self-Pity
      • Bible Verses to Help You Memorize Scripture
      • 5 Bible Verses to Help You Sleep
    • Scriptures to Live By When You’re Living for Jesus
      • Bible Verses About Hope
      • Bible Verses About God’s Love
      • 5 Bible Verses on Patience
      • Scriptures for the New Year
  • Learn More
    • About Our Ministry
    • Meet The Candid Gals
    • Contact Us
    • Belief Statement
    • The Legal Stuff
  • Get Involved
    • Join Our Prayer Team
    • Join Us For A Candid Anthology
    • Be Our Guest
    • Become a Candid Gal
    • Contact Us
  • Why Jesus?
  • Show Search
Hide Search
The Spirit of Sabbath & One Woman’s Struggle With It

The Spirit of Sabbath & One Woman’s Struggle With It

Jaime Hampton · January 20, 2020 · 17 Comments

“My name is Jaime, and I’m chronically overscheduled.”

There might not be a twelve-step program for women like me, but I have a feeling I’m not alone.

As I’ve been praying about and reflecting on how I’d like my life to look different in 2020, the word “sabbath” keeps coming to mind. I’m not thinking of it in only the literal sense of keeping one day set apart for rest and worship (although I could use work on that as well… maybe that’s another post for another day!). What I mean is more of the spirit of sabbath: that my life, my family’s life, and our home would be permeated by a spirit of peace, rest, and worship.

5 Lessons I’ve Been Learning About The Spirit of Sabbath

Here are a few things God has been showing me about what the spirit of sabbath means in my own life:

1.) A Spirit of Sabbath Results From an Identity Securely Rooted in Christ.

What I’ve found is that my compulsion to over-schedule has resulted from misplaced identity.

Deep down, I don’t think I consider myself valuable or worthy of approval if I’m not constantly doing something. When we have people over I spend so much time buzzing around worrying about whether everyone has what they need that I fail to connect with people on a meaningful level. I think I’m afraid that if I sit down I’ll be looked upon as lazy or idle by others when in reality I think I might just end up making everyone as nervous as I am.

Jaime is sharing 5 lessons God has been teaching her about the spirit of sabbath on Candidly Christian… Click To Tweet

In the past, I have said “yes” to everything anyone asked of me to the point of total burnout, all because I feel like my value to them is based on what I do, not who I am. But in doing this I override the plans God has for me (not to mention others) by saying yes to everything without consulting God about what jobs He would have me do.

Good Things Aren’t Always The Best Things…

Lately, this has been especially hard. My kids are all in school for the first time in almost 14 years. If I’m being really, brutally honest I’ll admit that the idea terrified me. I had this perception that people would know I was a stay-at-home mom with all kids in school and that my value would be diminished in their eyes because I wasn’t being productive (at least as far as “they” were concerned; whoever “they” were!).

So what did I do?

I volunteered 5 days a week in my kids’ schools.

Don’t get me wrong, I love this time in the kids’ classrooms! It has been one of the highlights of my year. But once again, I didn’t really consult God before jumping in with both feet. I just wanted to be sure I was covered and involved in activities that made me feel productive and valuable.

Sometimes I wear my busyness like a badge of honor. Sometimes it’s an excuse why my house isn’t really in order (both physically and figuratively) like I’d hope for it to be. But one constant is that my need to over-schedule chokes out the spirit of sabbath my soul longs for.

2.) A Spirit of Sabbath Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Saying No To Everything.

Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees about breaking the sabbath (Mark 3) and about His disciples reaping and eating grain on the sabbath (Matthew 12). He was very clear that sabbath “rest” didn’t always mean doing nothing.

My temptation has been that in striving for a spirit of sabbath in 2020 I need to pull back from everything and choose “no” for my word of the year. But I think God brought the word “sabbath” to mind as opposed to “no” because there are times when things that seem like work (like taking care of basic needs as the disciples did and serving others like Jesus did when he healed) can actually be blessed by God and used to restore and energize us.

Five lessons about the spirit of sabbath

God taught me a very important lesson about this a couple of years ago, and it has come back to my mind as I’ve asked Him to help me understand what sabbath should look like in my own life. I was supposed to serve in the Cold Weather Shelter our church hosts weekly in the winter months, which for my shift means being present and awake at our church one Sunday night a month from 2 am to 6 am Monday morning with a partner. I have to confess, I dread the loss of sleep each month. It can take days to recover, but knowing I’m helping families with children not have to sleep on the streets or in their cars or at more dangerous shelters makes it totally worth it for me.

I’m Glad I Said Yes…

One-day several years ago I wasn’t feeling well and had a horrible attitude about going to the shelter that night. I stopped and prayed and confessed the ugliness of my heart, and offered the time as an act of worship to God. I asked God to provide me with one interaction with someone that would have eternal value.

Typically at that time of night, I have little or no interaction with the guests at the shelter because they’re sleeping. So when a woman woke up and needed to talk that night, I considered it a direct answer to prayer. We talked and prayed and I was able to give her a Bible. I came away from that night with joy in my heart and feeling energized and renewed. I wasn’t even very tired over the following days. So saying yes to the divine appointment God had for me that day served as my sabbath. It brought peace, joy and rest for my soul, even though it involved a sleepless night and the “work” of conversation and prayer.

I’m not saying there isn’t a time to say no, and I believe as I filter my schedule through God’s priorities I will end up shedding many things I considered necessary. But I have realized that I can’t assume that a spirit of sabbath simply means saying no to everyone and everything.

3.) The Answer to My Over-Scheduling Might Be More Scheduling.

…or at least different scheduling.

I need to schedule white space.

There may come a time in our family’s life when white space and “being still” just happens, but we need to re-train ourselves first.

I think the first step is to schedule home-time and make sure that time is free from electronic distractions and full of meaningful engagement with each other, or downtime with no expectations. I’m not entirely sure what that looks like but I’m hoping it will honor the spirit of sabbath.

4.) Sabbath Involves People.

Relationships have slipped through the cracks of my over-scheduled life. I find myself putting friends off, even for phone calls or quick coffee dates. As an introvert, I don’t mind (okay I love) time alone. But if I only equate rest with alone time I think my entire family will miss out on the beautiful gift of fellowship. So I want to be intentional about incorporating people into my sabbath plans – I just need God’s help to keep it from becoming the scenario where I try to play “hostess with the mostest” and miss the point! (You can go ahead and say a prayer for me now!)

5.) The Spirit of Sabbath Can Happen In The Cracks & Crevices of Life.

Someone said that busy is a state of mind.

Sometime last year I found myself in a grocery store feeling anxious and hurried and that thought came to my mind so I stopped and realized I really wasn’t in a hurry and this time walking up and down the aisles could actually be relaxing if I let it be. I prayed something like this: “Thank you God for this time of rest. Thank you for children who are getting along and time to shop without having a pressing appointment to get to.” I took a breath and felt a spirit of peace wash over me. When we take many small opportunities like this throughout the day to simply give thanks to God, recognize a peaceful moment, or set a timer for even just a one-minute prayer, they will add up and saturate our day with a spirit of sabbath. That’s my hope and my goal for the upcoming year!

Join the Conversation

How do you like to cultivate a spirit of sabbath in your own life? Share in the comments!

The spirit of sabbath can happen in the cracks and crevices of life. Find out more in this post on Candidly Christian… Click To Tweet
Related Resource For Christian Women

If you are tired, stressed out, or overwhelmed, Candid Gal, Laura J. Marshall invites you on her journey to enter into the rest that refreshes and find freedom from weariness. This is A Mom’s Battle Cry for Rest.

A Mom's Battle Cry for Rest by Laura J Marshall

Related Posts

  • God Designed Me To Be A Follower – What About You?
  • The Ways I Want My Life To Look, And The Truth Of The Gospel
  • The Gift of Reading Scripture I Almost Missed
  • He’s My Adonai
  • God Speaks Your Language

About Jaime Hampton

Jaime Hampton lives in Southcentral Alaska with her husband and three children. She is a Christian author and co-host of the Praying Christian Women podcast. She also enjoys camping with her family, roasting (and drinking!) coffee, and the crazy life that comes with being a hockey mom. You can connect with Jaime at www.jaimehampton.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather Hart says

    January 20, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    Oh Jaime. How coincidental that this post was published today of all days. I’m so buried by my to-do list. I’m over-scheduled today, plus the kids are out of school. Plus I had to drive out of town to take something to my husband he needed for work. Plus I have a migraine. Plus I forgot to eat breakfast. So, of course, I skipped my quiet time. And lunch. Talk about a string of bad decisions. I was getting ready to put in some extra hours, but I think I’m just going to unplug instead. Thanks for this timely reminder.

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 20, 2020 at 10:32 pm

      Don’t you just love God’s timing? I could have taken my own advice today but didn’t and found myself getting really cranky with everyone as the stress level mounted. It’s 7:30pm here right now – never too late to take steps toward a spirit of sabbath! ??

      Reply
    • Carolyn Seymour Thomas says

      February 3, 2020 at 7:04 am

      Jaime, I often think of taking an intentional sabbath–and it never lasts, because it has always felt so black & white. I appreciate the opportunity to reframe it in more of a gray area! “Hostess with the Mostess” really resonated with me here. Because we don’t have local family, we try to spend many Sundays having dinner with friends. Usually at our house. Which means I put pressure on myself–mostly for the cleaning part. I still struggle with this, but we’ve backed off on our frequency of hosting Sunday dinners and have found that some Sundays it’s nice to be ‘just us.’ As an introvert (the only one in my family of 5), I was afraid everyone else would feel a lack…a wanting of community. But it turns out that ‘some Sundays’ is actually better than ‘all Sundays’ for everyone. Because sometimes extroverts don’t realize just how much they need a rest, too!

      Reply
  2. Sarah @ In Pleasant Places says

    January 26, 2020 at 1:52 am

    Yes! I take my Sabbath throughout the week in pockets of time where I rest, intentionally grow and pray. Homeschooling and building a home as a family means that we are always together, and a mother’s work is never done! But this way I pace myself and never burn out. Great ideas!

    I came through Grace + Truth 🙂

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 31, 2020 at 4:52 pm

      I think by doing that you’re giving your kids a great gift by example that they can carry through life! Thanks so much for stopping by, Sarah!

      Reply
  3. Maree Dee says

    January 28, 2020 at 2:03 pm

    Yikes, #1 one stung a little. I have been working on keeping the sabbath for years, not only on Sunday but throughout the week. I loved your post so much I am going to feature it this Friday on Grace & Truth Link-Up. I am going to keep my comments at a minimum here while I process your words throughout the week. Thank you for your wisdom and for hitting all of my buttons. I needed it.

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 28, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      What an honor, thanks so much Maree! I’d love for you to share any insights God gives you along the way! ??

      Reply
  4. Barbara Harper says

    January 31, 2020 at 5:20 am

    Thank you for this post! I’ve always believed in Sabbath rest, but you brought up some aspects I hadn’t considered before. I’ve thought, too, that true rest meant quietness and solitude (probably due to my introvert tendencies), but biblically it does involve people. The idea of resting in the Lord all the time reminds me of one of my favorite verses: “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). That verse, sadly, ends. “And ye would not.” May God give us grace to rest in Him all the time.

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 31, 2020 at 4:55 pm

      That verse hit REALLY close to home, Barbara – but I love it! It’s going to be written somewhere prominent in my home (or car…or both!) from now on. Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Lisa notes says

    January 31, 2020 at 6:49 am

    This is such a post meant for me, Jaime. My goal is to take a technology Sabbath on Sundays this year. Not a total one but at least pare back. It’s my attempt to schedule more white space into my schedule.

    But it’s really the spirit of the Sabbath that I want to develop every day, not just Sundays, whether with technology or other things. Your lessons here hit it on the nose with me too.

    How wonderful that you volunteer for such a hard shift at your Cold Weather Shelter. And kudos to your church for doing that! We have many large churches in our town who would have the capacity for that, but only one very small church that does it regularly with such consistency and love. 🙁 Granted, it’s not needed too often here (I live in Alabama) but definitely is needed during several periods every winter.

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 31, 2020 at 5:00 pm

      Lisa, I love the idea of a tech sabbath. I’m trying to do mini-versions of that at home too. The Cold Weather Shelter is an amazing program – I live in Alaska where it definitely gets cold in the winter, and local churches recognized the need to provide safe, warm places for children and their families to sleep because of an increasing problem with kids sleeping in cars or worse during winter months and not being able to sleep well or get homework done. There’s a whole network of churches who participate, it makes me so proud of our inter-denominational church community here that really considers themselves the Church with a capital “C”!

      Reply
  6. Michele Morin says

    January 31, 2020 at 8:18 am

    Jamie, I’m so glad to have found you via Maree Dee’s site. What a great topic for us busy women!
    Eugene Peterson wrote so many good words about Sabbath, and I’ve written the shortest one down on my calendar so I won’t forget it: “Take nothing for granted. And do it every week.”

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 31, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      Michele, I love that quote. If I did that weekly, I’d be a different person! Thanks so much for stopping by!

      Reply
  7. Theresa Boedeker says

    January 31, 2020 at 9:33 am

    Thanks for this article. I can relate to number 1, doing and getting my worth from that. That was how I was raised and then it is my personality. Love your ideas here and that rest can be in small burst through the day and with friends. I know some of my resting times come when getting together with friends (often going out so I don’t fall into the hovering hostess syndrome) or walking with family. I tend to think of recharging on my own, so I loved this and it helped me rethink this area.

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      January 31, 2020 at 5:07 pm

      I think I’ll steal the term “hovering hostess syndrome”? I love it! I’m always so glad when my own struggles (and lessons learned!) resonate with someone else. That’s why I love Candidly Christian, we can all be real and move forward together! God bless you!

      Reply
  8. Stephanie says

    February 1, 2020 at 8:33 pm

    Love love love this blog.. this is one of my main studies for this year…. I have heard or seen the word Sabbath 5 times in a row within a few days and I get it God….”study on the Sabbath” that is me… so here goes. Thanks for writing this.

    Reply
    • Jaime Hampton says

      February 1, 2020 at 11:41 pm

      Thanks Stephanie! I have some study and implementation to do myself…writing the post is one thing, living it out is another thing altogether. Pray for me and I’ll be praying for you! ??

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Let's Get Candid

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Love the Sinners
  • 6 Things to Consider When You Are at a Crossroad
  • Running Our Race
  • How Do You Embrace The Day?
  • Cast Your Care

Recent Videos

Weekly LinkUps

Salt and Light Grace and Truth

More Christian Link-Ups

Candid Conversations

Click here to find out more.

Our Most Popular Posts

  • 5 Verses to Help You Overcome Self-Pity
  • 5 Bible Verses for When You Feel Worthless
  • 3 Steps to Overcome Laziness
  • My (winning) Battle with Health Anxiety
  • Confessions of a Woman in Ministry

Support Our Ministry

Christian Books
Prayer Team
Visit Heather's Etsy Shop
Support Candidly Christian
Please note that CandidlyChristian.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
Click here to find out more

Who’s Behind The Scenes?

Heather Hart
Candidly Christian was founded by Heather Hart; an internationally best-selling and award-winning author with a passion for the gospel of Jesus and a heart for women’s ministry. Her goal isn’t to teach women how they can do better, be better, or achieve perfection, it’s to point them to Jesus.

Click here to learn more about Heather Hart and the rest of the Candid Gals.

Posts by Author

Catherine Wilson
Heather Hart
Jaime Hampton
Mariel Davenport
Sarah J Callen
Sheila Schweiger-Rhodes
Sherry Chamblee
Stephanie M. Carter
Valerie Riese
See Your Name Here
Candid Guests

Our Favorite Planner

The Hope Planner
Affiliate Link

Candidly Christian Has Been Featured On…

Grace and Truth Link-Up Christian Blogger Directory

Top Christian Women Blog

© 2016–2022 | Privacy | Home

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT