After taking a break for a couple of years, I was eager to again participate in The Bible Recap plan to read chronologically through the Bible in a year. In the first few books of the Bible, God places a heavy emphasis on the importance of Sabbath rest and the weighty consequences of neglecting it. It reminded me of two vital truths: firstly, the kindness and incredible provision of our God, who ordained rest for us, and secondly, that taking time to rest demonstrates trust in the Lord, not in yourself, to accomplish what needs to be accomplished and to provide what needs to be provided.
This realization hit home, exposing that my sense of feeling rested stemmed not from trusting in God's provision but from the relief of accomplishing things on my checklist. As He was beginning to reveal this, the Lord perfectly timed an incredibly restful family vacation to an all-inclusive resort in Puerto Vallarta. There, I had the opportunity to savor true rest—no cooking, no cleaning, no work, no schedules, no alarms. It was simply a time to unwind, connect, play in the ocean, sit quietly, read, sleep, bask in the beauty around us, spend time with God, and experience a taste of the profound rest He promises we can find in Him.
Amazed and inspired by the experience, I asked God to help me integrate this newfound restfulness into my daily life upon returning home. Thus, on our first Sunday back, I chose to set my checklist aside—trusting the Lord to give me the day of rest He wanted to provide while also Him to enable me to accomplish the necessary tasks in our home and at work during the week. Although initially challenging, it felt liberating not to be enslaved by tasks for a day, and I felt much more rested and at peace than Sundays prior.
The next morning, however, as I looked at my undone list and the mounting number of emails in my inbox, I started to second guess whether the rest on Sunday had been a good idea. I had a Mom’s in Prayer gathering I had planned to attend but seriously considered skipping it so I could get started on the work awaiting me. However, I felt the Lord encouraging me to go. So, I did. And, rather than walking away from the meeting feeling further crunched for time, I felt even more at peace about the day. On the way home, I got a call from one of my agents, and rather than rushing through the conversation to get to those emails, I chose to spend time catching up and praying for one another. Again, I somehow left the conversation not with greater concern over the pressures of the day but with a greater sense of peacefulness in my soul. By the time I got up to my computer to begin the workday, it was 11:30 am, allotting only 3 ½ hours to get through everything before the kids arrived home from school. But, somewhat miraculously, the workday unfolded smoothly and even with limited time, the Lord helped me finish all the necessary tasks. I even had a few extra minutes before the kids walked in the door.
While I understand my Mondays may not always progress so seamlessly after a Sunday of rest, this served as a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness and encouragement to trust in Him. It felt like His little nudge saying, “See, I got you, Katie. Trust me and don’t hesitate to enter the joy of the rest I have for you.” I pray for continued obedience to this gracious command, anticipating deeper levels of rest and peace in the coming months as I rely on Him. If you’ve been entering the joy of Sabbath rest for some time, I’d love to hear about your experience. And, if you’re like me and are just beginning to discover its riches, I’d love to hear how it’s going and to help encourage each other in the journey.
“So, there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest so as not to disobey God and to fall as the people of Israel did.” (Hebrews 4:9-11)
By Katie Miller
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