NOVEMBER – REST
- Dedicate one day each week (or one day this month) to rest. For one day spend all day “praying and playing.” By praying, we mean spending time strengthening your relationship with God. By playing, we mean spending time with your family and friends.
- Set aside extra time to spend with God through silence, solitude, worship, and prayer
- Go on a walk, eat outside, take an afternoon nap, call someone on the phone
- Let go of things that stress you out (Matthew 6:25-34)
- Let the difficult conversation happen another day
- Try to stay off your work email and social media
Daily Practice:
Start every morning and end every evening with a prayer. Begin your day by praying God will provide opportunities for you to slow down and find time to rest. End your day by reflecting on your rhythms of rest and work.
Weekly Readings:
Week 1 (November 2-8)
Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Hebrews 4:1-13
- Why do you think God paused to rest? Why do you think God designed Adam and Eve’s first day to be one of rest?
- How might entering rest be likened to entering back into Eden?
- Is there any way you have hardened your heart toward God’s invitation to rest? What ways do you resist the promise to rest in Hebrews 4:9?
- Are there areas of your family-life, community, workplace, or the world where you can observe that a lack of Sabbath causes strife?
Week 2 (November 9-15)
Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 6:30-46
- Have you developed an intentional rhythm of rest and work in your life? Why or why not?
- In these two stories about Jesus we see Him take time to rest. Why do you think Jesus made time to rest?
- Reflecting on Jesus’s example of balance and prioritization, how can we emulate His rhythm of life within our own life?
- What steps can we take to ensure that our daily pace aligns with Christ’s teachings and allows us to live intentionally for God’s purposes?
Week 3 (November 16-22)
Rom. 12:2; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 6:10-13; Col. 3:2; Amos 8:4-8
- How does the pace of our lives affect our ability to connect with God and live out our Christian values? Are there specific practices or adjustments we can make to create more space for spiritual growth amidst our busy schedules?
- How can we reconcile the demands of our fast-paced lives with the biblical principles of rest, renewal, and prioritizing God?
- Reflect on your relationship with your work. How much does your work cut into your rest? How does this affect those around you?
- .Are you ever wearied from doing good?
Week 4 (November 23-29)
Psalms 46 & 92
- Have you ever rested long enough to move from exhaustion to gratitude to worship? Remember what that was like and see if you can envision letting that happen once a week.
- Is there anything in your life right now that feels so hard you might be avoiding it by giving in to distraction, emotional numbing, or denial? How might a time of rest offer an opportunity to enter in to the delight of God?
- What are the unique challenges and opportunities for rest embedded in the season of life you are in currently?
- What do you sacrifice rest to make time for? Is it worth it?
Going Deeper:
- Ask the questions from our January practices for each passage.
- Meditate on each passage being open to how you can share the gospel with those you interact with day by day (May’s Practices).
- Intentionally plan times of rest using the 1-1-1 method.
- 1 hour of rest/quiet time each day
- 1 day of rest per week
- 1 week of rest per year
- Begin a 28 day “Digital Fast”
- Week 1: Detach – Focus on “making your smartphone dumb.” We encourage you to remove “distraction” apps (social media, games, news, etc.) and keep only utility apps like phone and text. This initial phase is about creating space and regaining a sense of presence with others and God.
- Week 2: Discover – Explore what emerged in the absence of constant digital engagement. You might discovered hobbies, rekindled relationships, and engage in deeper prayer, study, and meditation.
- Week 3: Delight – Cultivate joy in the newfound space and time. Delight in God’s good creation, meaningful conversations, and activities that nourish the soul.
- Week 4: Determine – Focus on solidifying lasting changes. Decide which digital habits to reintroduce and which to leave behind. Establish a healthier digital rhythm that prioritizes spiritual and relational growth.
- Plan one 24 hour period each week for a “Tech Sabbath”
- Set up email with an auto-reply
- Ask permission from your boss to have one day each week that you are not reachable by phone or email
- Turn your phone to “Do Not Disturb” or off completely for 24 hours (most phones can allow calls from certain contacts when in Do Not Disturb)
Additional Resources:
- Disconnect by Jeremy Roberts
- How to Break up with your Phone by Catherine Price
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport