Ah, the Sabbath. It’s one of my favorite subjects to talk about. In my past career as a CFO and small business owner, practicing the Sabbath saved my life. It anchored me in God’s rest during a difficult season and delivered me from a demonic strategy called toil. But first, what is toil?
Toil Defined
Toil is a severe state of exhaustion, typically caused by one’s inability to rest. It’s a demonic strategy that keeps us from walking in our destinies. But how does it show up in our lives?
Toil is more than just physical tiredness–it’s a spiritual and emotional burnout that impacts every aspect of our lives. It attacks our marriages, friendships, and even our relationship with God.
The beauty of the Sabbath is that it disarms toil by forcing us to sit down and rest. Often, the breakthrough we need lies on the other side of recuperation.
The Sabbath as a Strategy for Toil
Now, for those who enjoy working, don’t confuse toil with dedicated effort. Completing tasks and meeting deadlines is wonderful; toil is not. Toil, as defined by Scripture, is a sorrow caused by exhaustion; it strips away hope (Proverbs 10:22).
Toil robs you of the ability to celebrate others’ success or even to feel God’s presence. It’s a debilitating state of emptiness that leaves you without joy.
The Sabbath Reactivates your Emotions
When you’re suffering from toil, I guarantee you’ll know it. I experienced this myself when I was the CFO of Bethel Church and managing my own side business. Weighed down by twelve to sixteen hour work shifts, I stumbled from one day to the next, wondering where one schedule ended and the next began. I began to wonder: is something wrong?
Turns out, there definitely was. I didn’t realize the severity of my issue until Dawna, my wife, said something hurtful to me and I didn’t react. My feeler was turned off.
Frightened, I scheduled a meeting with Danny Silk and confessed, “Something’s wrong. I can’t feel anything.”
In his typical, casual manner, Danny said, “Ah, you’ll be fine. Just take the day off. You need a break.”
Take the day off? I wondered. How will that help?
The Sabbath Heals your Heart and Mind
Turns out, taking time off was exactly what I needed. I discovered my answer in prayer. I asked God, “How do I get out of this situation?” He said: “Keep My Sabbath.”
Sabbath? At first, I didn’t get it. The Sabbath felt outdated, Old Testament. All I knew was that Sabbath meant taking time off work. I knew the following verse, but that was it:
But the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. — Deuteronomy 5:14 (NASB)
Great. On the seventh day (Saturday in my case), I’d rest. Easy, right?
Not really. I was so used to grinding that rest felt uncomfortable. It seemed to slow my productivity. I felt lazy.
Nevertheless, I tried it. On Saturday mornings, I’d wake. Watch cartoons with my boys. Get in the car. Drive to Whiskeytown lake. I made an effort to not work at all. This even came down to household chores. If Dawna asked me to take out the trash, I’d say, “Sorry, honey, it’s my Sabbath.” Eventually, she joined in my rest days too.
Conclusion
After practicing the Sabbath, I noticed a profound change. My emotions came back. I was no longer depressed. I returned to work feeling energized and ready to serve. Plus, my side business exploded. Somehow, after adding rest to my schedule, I accomplished more in less time.
The Sabbath ended up being a strategy that gave me a second chance. It saved my marriage and taught me: Sometimes it requires more faith to do nothing than to do something.
P.S: if you want to learn more about the Sabbath, check out my training: Prosperous Soul Online: Advanced.