Written By Alexis Faubel
One thing we talk about often in DC Chi Alpha, is the importance of rest. For a ministry placed in one of the busiest cities in the world, with students who are high-achieving and striving for success, rest is usually a thing most desired, but also comes in last place in their minds. So, we talk about rest, and sabbath, and taking care of our holistic selves often.
Sabbath is a term that until Chi Alpha, I only associated with Sundays - the day that you go to church and try to rest, and not do homework. Turns out that’s a pretty good practice in college too. Chi Alpha introduced me to the active type of rest found on a sabbath day (ideally, though a half-day or a couple of hours blocked off can also be allocated).
I learned that a sabbath should be used to spend extended time with God, without distractions. This can be a flexible time made up of a longer quiet time, nature walks, worship, and/or journaling. I’ve used this time to go deep in prayer and wrestling with many things life has brought my way. Sabbath is a practice that forces us to make time to spend with our Creator, and tend to the parts of ourselves that we may not address otherwise.
This is where self-care comes in. While caring for ourselves can be achieved in many different ways, I think it is separate from a sabbath. I often practice self-care in my sabbath by napping, watching a movie, reading a favorite book, cooking something good, or taking a bath. And while all of those things are good ways to care for our body and minds, I think the difference is that sabbath is an intentional resting and abiding that can happen with or without self-care practices.
Both sabbath, and self-care, are important concepts to think about and to practice. I encourage you to spend some time this week being more intentional about both of them. Then maybe spend some time reflecting in a journal, or to a friend, about what you got out of a day spent with Jesus (including all of the naps you may have taken too!).
