The "run/walk" idea is not a new concept for me. When I decided to train for a marathon I did my research. I read many books, surfed the web for advice, and talked to friends who had been there before. Walking just wasn't my thing. How could I incorporate walking into runs where the goal was "no stopping"? So I stored the idea away until last week. In an episode of sheer desperation, trying break through some mental walls in my training, I figured I would give it a try. I would let go of the stigma I held about walk breaks and break my long runs into more manageable chunks at the same time.
It worked.
They've actually done studies on the run/walk concept; running and walking use different muscles in different ways. Taking walk breaks in intervals reduces the risk of injury, gives your muscles a break, and can ultimately allow you to increase your race speed. And I found that walk breaks allow for moments of sheer bliss. Not being able to stop smiling at mile 12 (of 15) is one of those undeniable side effects.
Sabbath is the walk break.
Six days of work, obligations, and responsibilities can strain your mental, emotional, and spiritual muscles just as much as running. The Sabbath is a day for resting and being refilled by God--in preparation for the coming week.
You might be able to run the whole distance if you really focused and tried hard, but you're going to be really tired and worn out when you get to the end. And if you're anything like me, the longer you try to keep going without stopping, the more daunting the future miles look.
I started observing the Sabbath two years ago. I did okay until I got a job with a weird schedule. The ever-changing days off made it difficult for me to follow through and the habit didn't have enough time to really set in. During a great conversation with a good friend a couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of Sabbath. I couldn't figure out why I hadn't kept on with the practice, but all of a sudden my frequent feelings of being overwhelmed and suffering through weekends that left me feeling more tired than I had started them made perfect sense. To me, Sabbath = peace. And I'm all about moments of peace.
I'll admit that my Sabbath routine hasn't been fully set yet. I'm still experimenting and learning how to fill my day. I've had some great conversations with friends about what they do and why they do what they do, and I'm encouraged already. Anticipating the great rewards of spending a day focused on God and not my to-do list.
Sabbath is a time to rest in God. To focus solely on being His child and nothing else. A time to be refilled to overflowing. A chance to sit at Jesus' feet and bask in the beauty of His creation. A beautiful, peaceful day that restores the frazzled, overworked, and overwhelmed person within. And an opportunity to commune with the One who loves me unconditionally.
Sabbath is truly a gift from God; something that God knew we would need, but we're foolish enough to pass up more often than not.
There's absolutely no shame in taking a walk break.
Do you have a Sabbath routine? What do you do?
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