In the last few weeks, we’ve discussed the priority of establishing rhythms of rest in the lives of those who lead missional enterprises.

Last week, we described several different beautiful aspects of sabbath-rest, and shared the testimony of how one missional enterprise leader began to take time for regular Sabbath in the midst of his responsibilities.

One of the aspects of sabbath-rest mentioned last week is the fact that it is a gift. This week, we share insights from several people who have come to experience the commitment to regular rhythms of rest as a beautiful and powerful gift, even when carrying the load of significant business leadership responsibilities. These leaders have experienced the life-giving gift of rest, not just on a weekly basis, but in various and different ways.

Moment-by-Moment

The Sabbath rest seems to be an experience we could have everyday, not one day a week. We enter into God’s rest by “resting from our own works.” So what in the world does that mean?. . .

For anyone running a business this sounds absolutely crazy. We probably are busier than we have ever been. Telling us to rest from our works can feel very irresponsible. And so, most us plug on ahead at full speed. Or to avoid burn out, we slow down and the business fails to develop into a profitable organization.

In the face of these very real challenges, Bill shares how he has learned to accept the invitation into a partnership with his heavenly Dad, just as Jesus partnered with His heavenly Father. Take a few minutes to read the rest of Bill’s encouraging words here: https://businessasmission.com/sabbath-rest/. A key to transformation for Bill was his exploration of Jesus’s invitation to “come to me” in Matthew 11. He explains a different way of looking at the “easy yoke” of Jesus and gives examples of how he’s experienced that “easy yoke” in business leadership.

Monthly “Lifeline”

Each month, we would set aside a half-day (about four hours) for extended time seeking God and resting in His presence. Each member of our family would participate together in these times, including our children, some of whom were young at the time. Sometimes, as the pressures would mount during the month, we felt that if we could just make it to our monthly time with the Lord, we would be renewed and refreshed. Even with the many demands on our time, the half-day was never a burden. It was a gift!

Sabbatical

Andy Crouch is an author and partner with Praxis, a “venture-building ecosystem advancing redemptive entrepreneurship.” In a recent episode of the “Good Faith” podcast, Crouch shares how he has planned regular extended sabbatical times into his professional life every seven years, in addition to daily and weekly rhythms of rest and contemplation. Some key points Crouch makes include:

• Regular patterns of rest are indispensable elements if we want not just to engage in production but to demonstrate genuine creativity. Crouch reflects on the fact that almost all the worthwhile endeavors he has done over the last thirty years came out of times of rest.
• While extended time off understandably seems unattainable for most people, it is something we should expect to see in a healthy and just society.
• Crouch describes the time as a “deep reset,” but also mentions how this practice has necessitated detailed planning and saving in advance.

If you can set aside about an hour, listen to the whole conversation at this link: https://redeemingbabel.org/podcasts/finding-rest-in-a-restless-world-with-andy-crouch/.

As you read through these various insights, is there a unique way in which the Lord might be leading you to establish patterns of life-giving rest?

Verses of the Week:

Let’s thank the Lord of the Sabbath for the gracious gift of making the Sabbath and other patterns of Sabbath-rest for us!