How to Practice Sabbath

As a church community in Halifax, one of the ways we want to form people in the Way of Jesus is by helping them cultivate a deep and honest intimacy with God. One of the primary ways this value takes shape in our life together is through a shared practice called sabbath.

Sabbath is not about religious obligation or checking a spiritual box, but about creating space to intentionally rest, breathe, and remember who God is and who we are.

What Is Sabbath?

We find this definition helpful:

“Biblical Sabbath is a twenty-four-hour block of time in which we stop work, enjoy rest, practice delight, and contemplate God. The traditional Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown Saturday. In most Christian traditions, Sabbath has been observed on Sunday. The apostle Paul considered one day for Sabbath as good as another (Romans 14:1–17). So the particular day of the week doesn’t matter. What matters is to set aside a twenty-four-hour period and protect it.”

— Pete Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader

At its core, Sabbath is about intentionally setting aside time. It is about choosing to live differently, to step out of the usual rhythms of productivity and into a rhythm of trust.

Why Do We Sabbath?

Another quote that captures this well:

“Of the Ten Commandments, Sabbath is the only command originally expressed directly to Adam and Eve. Genesis says we Sabbath, first, because God kept a Sabbath and, second, because God built it into the DNA of creation, and it is therefore something creation needs in order to flourish. As H. H. Farmer once said, ‘If you go against the grain of the universe, you get splinters.’”

— A. J. Swoboda, Subversive Sabbath

We Sabbath because it’s how we were made to live. Sabbath reminds us that we are creatures, not machines. It invites us to trust that the world continues to spin even when we stop. Practicing sabbath is a way of aligning our lives with the grain of God’s good creation.

How Do We Sabbath?

In observing sabbath, we have found Pete Scazzero’s framework especially helpful: stop work, enjoy rest, practice delight, and contemplate God. Here’s a breakdown of what that can look like.

Stop Work
Sabbath is intentional time where we acknowledge our limits and stop working, whether that work is paid or unpaid. It’s a day to accept that we will never finish everything on our lists, and that the world does not depend on our constant effort. Sabbath reminds us that God is the one holding everything together.

Because we live in a hyper-connected world where work follows us through our phones and our online presence, sabbath often means turning devices off. This isn’t just good for our minds and hearts. It is a quiet but powerful witness. It says to our city, “My identity is not found in what I produce, what I know, or how I present myself.”

Enjoy Rest
Scripture consistently describes sabbath as a day of rest, a day when our bodies and minds are invited into peace. Rest looks different for different people, but it often includes slowing down, refusing hurry, napping, taking contemplative walks, noticing beauty, and engaging in play.

Some find the practice of Eucharisto especially life-giving on Sabbath. This is a simple practice of gratitude, where you reflect on the past week with others and thank God for moments, conversations, and signs of His presence along the way.

Practice Delight
The climax of the creation story isn’t the creation of humanity; it’s the sabbath. Creation comes to rest, and God declares it all very good (Genesis 2:1–2). Isaiah invites us to “call the sabbath a delight” (Isaiah 58:13).

Notice that sabbath isn’t described as useful or productive, even though it often proves to be both. It’s good simply because it’s good. Sabbath isn’t a tool to prepare us for the next work week; it’s an end in itself.

Many people experience what could be called “sabbath depression” after the initial excitement wears off. At first, Sabbath feels refreshing and novel. Over time, it can surface sadness, restlessness, or discomfort. This is normal. It can be similar to a detox, as our bodies and souls withdraw from the constant stimulation of productivity, activity, and digital connection. If this happens, stay with it. On the other side, there is often a deeper and more lasting delight.

Contemplate God
Sabbath is meant to be holy, set apart for God. It’s a day to train our bodies, minds, and spirits to remain aware of God’s presence. Silence plays an important role here. Sitting quietly before God with open hands and an open heart is enough.

This isn’t about trying to get something from God. Sabbath is not productive time with spiritual results to measure. The goal is not insight, revelation, or achievement. The goal is abiding. Simply being with God is enough. At the end of the day, you may not have anything dramatic to report, and that’s okay. Presence itself is the gift.

A Suggestion of How to Start Sabbath

We suggest beginning Sabbath in the evening and ending it the following evening, using whatever rituals help mark the time as different and meaningful. Rituals help our hearts and bodies recognize that this day carries weight and intention.

There are many ways to do this. One example comes from a traditional Shabbat dinner, where you:

• Light two candles, symbolizing the sabbath commands in Exodus 20:8 and Deuteronomy 5:12
• Waves your hands over the flames three times, symbolically welcoming sabbath rest into the home
• Cover your eyes and recite this blessing

Hebrew blessing:
ָבּרוּך ַא ָתּה אַד ֹנָ-י ֱא-ל ֵהינוּ ֶמ ֶלך ָהעוֹ ָלם ַא ֶשׁר ִק ְד ָשנוּ ְבּ ִמ ְצוֹ ָתיו וְ ִצוָנוּ ְל ַה ְד ִליק נֵר ֶשל ַש ָבּת קו ֶדש

English Transliteration:
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat kodesh.

English Translation:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the candles of Shabbat.

You can adapt this ritual or create your own, practicing sabbath with friends, family, roommates, or anyone you choose to share the rhythm with.

Other ideas for sabbath

Sabbath can take many simple, life-giving forms. You might choose to turn off your devices for the morning, share an unhurried meal with people you love, spend time outdoors noticing creation, read for pleasure, take a long walk, nap without guilt, or engage in a creative hobby that restores your soul. The aim is not to fill the day, but to choose activities that help you slow down, reconnect with God, and receive rest as a gift rather than something you earn.

In all our questions and experiments around sabbath, grace matters most. True rest is ultimately found in Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection. Sabbath is meant to be received, not mastered.

Rest well.