What do you do when you hear God say,
“Start keeping Sunday as a rest day.”?

I knew it was God speaking, because the thought had never even crossed my mind. As an author and blogger with a full-time job, I’ve pretty much been working 7 days a week for years.

And God was asking me to give up a whole day?
Yes. Yes, He was.

But here’s the surprising thing: It’s been amazing!
I’m talking life changing amazing.
So much so that I had to share what I’ve been experiencing.

Interestingly, when I mentioned this to a friend, she told me God had recently given her the same instruction. As we compared notes, we realized we’re seeing many of the same results.

In “losing” that workday, setting Sunday afternoon and evening aside for rest, we’re both getting more done.

It’s easier to avoid putting things off when you know a full day is coming when you won’t be working. It’s also easier to stay focused when you realize your time is limited.

On Saturday evenings, even when I’m tired, I’ll push through to finish something I might have previously left for “tomorrow.” Because now tomorrow isn’t an option. And there’s something about knowing tomorrow isn’t an option that is very motivating.

In the past, if I took a day off just for me, I’d feel guilty about everything I wasn’t getting done. As a result, my “day of rest” was never truly restful.

Guilt can be exhausting.
There is no guilt on Sunday.

Once I get home from church, I am “off” in a very real way. I might toss in a load of laundry… maybe. But I don’t go near my laptop or anything that might pull me into work. The closest I come to working is talking to God. And even then, He’s been known to gently shut me down when my thoughts stray into “unrestful” territory.

Another unexpected result? I look forward to Mondays.

I’ve never hated Mondays, but there have been many when I felt the weekend was too short and I was too tired.

This doesn’t happen now.

When I head to bed on Saturday night, I’m satisfied. I’ve accomplished more than I expected, and I know a true day of rest of coming. After that rest, I’m ready to go again.

I’m less fatigued. Mentally, I feel better than I have in years. My patience is higher, even during one of the church’s busiest seasons. I’m not overwhelmed by everything on my plate.

This has been a complete shift.

Growing up, I had a friend whose family strictly observed the Sabbath. I even remember hearing her dad explain to mine, “You know I don’t do any work on Sunday.” At the time, I thought it a little odd even though I vaguely knew it was one of the Ten Commandments.

I mean, God did say in Exodus 20:9-10 (NLT):

You have six days each week for your ordinary work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath day
of rest dedicated to the LORD your God.
On that day no one in your household may do any work…

I suppose I assumed it didn’t really apply to modern life—if I thought about it at all.

But it turns out that the need for a regular day rest very much still applies.
And not just because God said so.

There’s a growing body of research suggesting our bodies are literally designed to function best with regular rest.

A regular rest day can:

• reduce chronic stress (cortisol levels)
• improve sleep quality
• help prevent burnout and fatigue
• allow physical systems to repair and reset

Without it, you don’t just get tired—you get worn down

On the other hand, when you truly step away one day each week, it can:

• restore joy
• increase patience
• stabilize your mood
• lift mental fog 
• increase creativity
• improve decision making
• reduce irritability
• dissipate anxiety

And that’s just a start.

You stop simply reacting and start thinking clearly again. You remember what matters, who matters, and why you’re doing what you’re doing.

And you remember Who’s really in control.
(That would be God.)

As a mostly-recovered control freak, I find that especially important.

It turns out God knew exactly what He was doing when He established the Sabbath.
And He knew exactly what He was doing when He told me to start keeping it.

God didn’t command us to rest to slow us down—He commanded it because He designed us to need it.

Have you ever considered setting aside a true Sabbath—one full day to rest with God?
You might be surprised what happens when you do.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C