Why take a sabbatical?

After 6 years of working as a young professional, I decided to put a pause on my career. No, I wasn’t burnt out from long hours and overwhelming demands from my job (in fact, I loved my job). No, I wasn’t reevaluating my life decisions post-COVID and participating in the “Great Resignation” trend of the time. God had called me to a Sabbath Year almost 6 years ago, and it was time for me to embark on it.

When I first graduated from University, I landed a great job and started making real adult money for the first time. But as the numbers of my bank, brokerage, and retirements accounts grew, so did my ambitions to feed the fires of money, career, and financial independence. My thoughts were consumed by making enough money so I’d never have to work again in my life (which sounds suspiciously like the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21). But after a few months of this, God showed me the idea of a Sabbath year, a year of rest dedicated to Him. After that, I couldn’t get the thought out of my head.

My time of rest in India

I had dear friends in India at the time, so as the 7^th year quickly approached, I made plans to live with them for 6 months. And what a 6 months it was! My first goal was rest, but a productive kind of rest, not the “sitting and watching Netflix for 6 months” kind of rest. I spent a lot of time in prayer, meditation, and studying the Word of God (the Bible). I got to learn from other great books (shout-out to Sapiens, Antifragile, and 30 Life Lessons from the Wisest Americans). I cherished all the time I spent with my friends: cooking, cleaning, talking, playing games. Life at rest felt full, but not the full life I was living while working. It was the fullness of eating just enough at the family Sunday night dinner, surrounded by loved ones who want to nourish you; instead of the fullness of trying to shove one more shirt or towel into a washing machine at max capacity.

On the theme of productive rest: while in India, I had a great creative outlet and had the opportunity to lead new product innovation for my friends’ coffee shop (Bean Board – Chinna Waltair). Leveraging skills from my career, I led the team and staff to brainstorm dozens of new drink ideas, create a handful of prototypes, and launch 3 new products to the market! Not only were we satisfied with the product quality and in-market performance, but it was so fulfilling to help the staff unlock their latent creative potential.

When my 6 months in India were coming to a close, I was sad to leave the wonderful people that I’d developed such great friendships with – the people truly make the place. I met new friends from all walks of life: from young bachelors enjoying their lives and finding their way, to established businessmen who were pillars in the marketplace and local economy; from orphans and widows who were being cared for by organic loving communities, to traditional nuclear families, raising their children and pinning hopes and dreams of a bright future onto them; from the intellectuals discussing abstract theories and life optimization, to the carefree celebrators of life dancing indoors and in the streets. For all of you I met that might be reading this: thank you for making my time in India so precious.

Every moment I lived during my time in India influenced me. Every moment accumulated to push my life’s path and trajectory maybe a few degrees, or maybe only fractions of a degree. As I’ve reflected on my time there, I don’t have universal truths and axioms to share with you, or for myself. However, I have a handful of concrete learnings for my own life, and things I resolve to do now that I’m back. Though they won’t apply to all of you, I hope they can inspire you to reflect and look at your own life, what path you’re on, and realize that there is so much life out there to live, and so much purpose and fulfillment to realize on your journey.

I resolve to…

I resolve to take more risks – the kind of risk with known limited downside, but unknown potential upside. Inspired by Antifragile (Nassim Taleb), I’ve realized that so often, we do the reverse and settle for taking a chance where we can calculate our expected probability and magnitude of success (generally, when we can calculate the full benefit, it tends to be smaller). But I saw how tough life can be in India, and those who win and succeed shoot the potentially life-altering shots, though they know the risks associated with those actions.

I resolve to prioritize rest.  It’s too easy to get caught up in the busyness of life, especially in the productivity-focused culture of America. Intentionally blocking off time for productive rest is something I’ve done in the past (generally through the weekly Sabbath) and will continue to do. I saw how being rested gives space for my mind to wander, expand, and think creatively. Putting rest as a part of my schedule forced me to be more selective and intentional with my time and focus on what’s most important. I saw that it’s truly okay to slow down once in a while – life is not for output, but for living and enjoying the life God gives to us.

I resolve to be more hospitable. While in India, so many people invited me to their homes and their lives. So many people wanted to show me their city and make sure I enjoyed my time there. Any time I entered someone’s home, I was immediately given snacks and something to drink. Sometimes, the level of hospitality was almost overwhelming! But even when people didn’t have much, they ensured I felt welcomed and loved, and that was a good lesson to learn. I want to swing my pendulum more in that direction, and I’m sure it’ll be okay if I overshoot.

I resolve to have more grace. So often, we’ve heard stories of Americans expecting everyone to be like them, speak their language, and do things their way. Though I entered India curious at the multitude of things that didn’t make sense to me, I eventually learned that there was rhyme and reason that I’d never realized before.

And that baffling behavior went both ways. Once, after a few full days of spending time with a close friend and his family, I found myself getting a little irritable. I bluntly told my friend that I needed a little bit of alone time, which felt extremely out of place and probably offensive in such a communal culture. I really felt my American-ness showing, but thankfully, he showed me plenty of grace, understood the differences, and allowed me to shed the local cultural norms without judgement.

I resolve to have more grace towards all people, especially seeing how God has grace for us, and how others have grace for me. Even if others do something that I don’t like or am not used to, if I pause and take a step back to understand where they are coming from, I can empathize, work through the differences, and we can both come out stronger on the other side.

And after wrapping up this Sabbath year, I’ll continue to Follow God. I saw that following God is not a drag or burden or sacrifice – outside of many theological reasons proving this, I also personally experienced how following God can not only be joyful, but fun! He led me down this path to take a Sabbatical, and I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. God truly does enjoy giving us good gifts (see Matthew 7:11).

What about you?

Thanks for making it to the end! I’m honored that you’d walk through these memories and reflections with me. There are so many more experiences I could share with you, but maybe we can leave that for discussions over a call, cup of coffee, or a meal.

I’d like to leave you with a few things to consider. Though taking this year of rest was amazing, I don’t think anyone needs to (unless, perhaps, God has called you to it, like He did for me).

However, if you’re a Christian, I would highly encourage you to start practicing the weekly Sabbath. A day of rest per week, dedicated to the Lord, is precious and highly valued time for me, and I hope this Rhythm of Rest can become the same for you. The Common Rule is a good starting point to explore what the Bible says about Sabbath and rest.

If you don’t currently follow Jesus, I’d like to extend even more thanks to you for engaging with this content! I hope I was able to pull back the curtain a little bit on who God is and the kind of life He wants for us. If you have any more questions or want to learn more, I’d be happy to chat and hear your thoughts.

As I’m wrapping up this sabbatical, I recognize how blessed I am to experience how life is so much more than just what I produce. I’m aiming to finish this season of life well, and start the next one with vigor, vitality, and an air of serenity, fully trusting in the Lord for all things.

The Sabbath is a day for the sake of life. …It is not an interlude but the climax of living.

Abraham Joshua Heschel (The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man)

Resources that were helpful to me

• “The Sabbath Year” – Rev. Peter Roebelen
  • This was a core reading for me. It’s an excellent reflection on the themes of Sabbath, Shmita, and Jubilee, and directed me down many other helpful paths. Definitely start here.
• “The Sabbath” – Abraham Joshua Heschel
  • A short, lovely walk-through of the Sabbath. Flowery and poetic in language, Heschel illuminates the Sabbath (and the God of the Sabbath) in a wondrous and joyous light.
• “Why I took a Sabbatical Year (and how I did it)” – Bob Lotich
  • A practical story of how a “regular person” was able to incorporate the pattern of the Sabbath Year into his life! This gave me encouragement that I wasn’t the only one doing this, ideas on how to think about the Sabbath year, and practical do’s and don’ts. I aspire to make my blog posts as easy to read as this guy’s 😉

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If you’ve made it this far, thank you for following along and participating in what God has been teaching me through His Word.

In my life, the practical application of Shmita looked like spending time with friends and family in South and Southeast Asia. My goal was to prioritize resting in God and serving Him in whatever capacity makes sense. My desire was to help the poor, widow, and orphan wherever I went (see James 1:27). And my hope was to return to my life and career refreshed, with my gaze fixed on Jesus instead of the idols of career, money, and financial independence.

As I write this, I’m at the end of my time abroad. I have many thoughts to assemble and distill down, but we’ll leave that for another post, coming soon 😊

I want to conclude the bulk of my content here with action steps for you!

If you’re currently following Jesus:

Though taking this year of rest was amazing, I don’t think anyone needs to (unless, perhaps, God has called you to it, like He did for me). As we’ve seen, this was prescribed as a land sabbath called Shmita – but this command is no longer required by us, as Jesus has fulfilled the purpose of the law (for more information, see here)

However, I would recommend any Christian to start practicing the weekly Sabbath. This could look different for each person, but my personal practice (most weeks; I’m not perfect by any means, but thankfully, the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath) is to take Friday sundown to Saturday sundown as a time of rest dedicated to the Lord. These day’s activities are consecrated to God. I stop doing work with my mind, but I allow the work of my hands. In short, if it feels like work, I don’t do it. If it doesn’t feel like work, I’ll do it if I want.

Sometimes, I have an extended time of fellowship with God in the morning, followed by listening to a sermon online. Other times, I sleep in and go play Ultimate Frisbee with friends. Sabbath is a precious and highly valued time for me, and I hope to continue this Rhythm of Rest for the remainder of my life.

If you’re interested in practicing this weekly habit, explore the Bible for what God and Jesus say about the Sabbath. The Common Rule is also a good starting point. And finally, I’d love to talk with you about what the weekly Sabbath could look like in your life and walk with you in it.

If you’re not currently following Jesus:

I’d like to extend even more thanks to you. It’s an honor that you’d spend your time reading my thoughts and engaging with these words and my Sabbath year journey.

Please let me know if you have any questions! I’d love to speak more about this subject with you. I hope & pray that this is God beginning to work in your life and draw you closer to Him. Instead of pulling away, dive deeper to evaluate what this all means. Who is God? Who is Jesus? What are the implications for your life, if what the Bible says is true? What is holding you back?

Finally:

This is the end of the bulk of my content on why I decided to put a pause on my career and take a Sabbatical. I hope it was illuminating and encouraging.

As I wrap up this Sabbath year, I hope to distill down my experiences, learnings, and takeaways for you to share in. It’ll take time to process, but I’ve already begun. I hope you’ll join me in not only finishing this journey well, but starting the next season of life with vigor, vitality, and an air of serenity, fully trusting in the Lord for all things.

The Sabbath is a day for the sake of life… It is not an interlude but the climax of living.

Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man

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God has worked in my life in so many ways, but I find it’s so easy to forget His goodness. Blessings come and I recognize them as gifts from the Lord – but the next time I encounter challenges or struggles, I so often forget that He’s gotten me through before, and He’ll do it again.

I rest assured knowing others have this same short-term memory loss – and this isn’t a new phenomenon either. Others in Biblical times have encountered the same! To remedy this and help them remember God’s goodness, many in Biblical times have set up memorials to help remind them of God’s goodness at certain points of time, in certain scenarios (see Bethel, Gilgal, and Ebenezer).

I love that during this dedicated time of Rest during Shmita, the Sabbath Year, God calls on Israel to remember His law, and remember His grace.

remembering God’s law

Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Deuteronomy 31:9-13

Today, having God’s law and Word ready at a moment’s notice, either on our phones or our physical Bibles, is truly a luxury. Back in Biblical times, much of God’s law was passed through Oral Tradition. As such, a normal Israelite’s options were to commit His word to memory, and/or simply listen to what the Levites would command, as they were the priestly class who knew God’s law.

However, with Shmita (the Sabbath Year), God instructed Moses and the priests to re-read the full law given to them to all the people, every 7^th year. In the rest of Deuteronomy 31, we see God’s reasoning: He wants all people, Hebrew and Gentile, Young and Old, Men and Women, to “hear and learn to fear the LORD your God and be careful to do all the words of this law.” As a part of this 7-year cycle, He wanted the people to always remember His words of wisdom, and His laws that give abundant life.

remembering God’s grace

I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.

GOD (Leviticus 25:21)

In resting from work in the 7^th year, the Israelites would be forced to acknowledge that their crops in years 7 and 8 are purely a gift from God, through no action and work of their own (note: no sowing in year 7 means no harvest in year 8). But I believe this call of “remembrance” also reminds the Israelites that the same lesson applies in years 1-6; even though they are working the rest of the time, all the harvest from the land is still purely a gift from God! Without His common grace, the rains don’t come down to nourish the land and produce fruit:

But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.

1 Chronicles 29:14-15 (NLT)

Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

Acts 14:17

I see this as also extending to the fruit of our labor. In this life, we work and toil, but positive results are not guaranteed. This goes for our secular work, the effort we put into relationships, and even into ministry! God is the one who gives the growth in all areas of our life, and God is the one who gives the ability to enjoy that fruit.

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

Qoheleth (The Teacher; Ecclesiastes 8:15)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

Paul the Apostle (1 Corinthians 3:6)

so what?

When I originally drafted this post prior to pausing my career, I was anxious to step away for a while and not earn any income. Though I knew God had provided enough money to sustain me in the 7^th year and trusted He would provide for my job when I returned, it was still a bit scary.

However, I was able to apply these two takeaways from this aspect of Shmita:

• Remembering God’s grace helped me to realize all that I had (career, skills, finances, etc.) were a gift from Him anyways, and He would provide exactly what I needed.
• Remembering God’s laws reminded me that He is in control of the universe, not I.

And finally, the theme of Remembrance has been a continual reminder of the beauty of the Gospel, Good News of Jesus. Even though I was a wreck, disobedient child, and a sinner, God still sent His son Jesus to take all the punishment for me and die the death I deserved. Jesus restored me to a right relationship with God!

The Gospel applies to all of us. If you’re already following Jesus, may we always remember the beauty and magnitude of His Good News. If you’re not a Christian, I encourage you to take steps to better understand Jesus, who He is, and what He’s done for you. Deciding to follow Him was the best decision I ever made.

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God’s economy truly is different, and His fingerprints in historical and modern society are everywhere. The principles He instituted for His kingdom are so radically different from today’s expectations, and they craft a unique vision for how His heart can be translated into practical life.

In every 7^th year, there was a command to release debts, and release slaves. We won’t get too deep in these topics, as there are too many nuances and considerations to address here, but I’ll share a basic overview of what was to take place during the Sabbath Year, along with some of my thoughts and interpretations.

We haven’t introduced this yet, but now seems an appropriate time: the Sabbath Year in Hebrew is the word “Schmita”, which roughly translates to the “year of release”. This is a central theme in why God wanted a Sabbath year. During Shmita, both debts and slaves are to be released.

release of debts

At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the LORD’S release has been proclaimed.

The LORD (Deuteronomy 15:1-2)

God’s heart for building His kingdom is not to build up an abundance of material wealth, but spiritual wealth (see Matthew 6:19-21). The currencies in His kingdom are righteousness, grace, and mercy.

This command to release debt every 7 years is an incredible one, and hard for us to grasp today. For example, a fundamental wealth-building instrument for the average American is the 30-year mortgage for homebuyers. Imagine if this was capped to 7 years: there are so many cascading effects to imagine! What would happen to loan access and availability? Would this shrink or grow the wealth gap?

Some argue this loan repayment period cap was to prevent systematically uneven accumulation of wealth^1,2. We see this happening today: wealthy lenders continue to increase the wealth gap by profiting off the debt of others, and predatory lenders exploit individuals who may be ignorant, uneducated, or hitting rough times. In a world where debts were released every 7 years, is it possible that society would become a more equitable (if less profitable) place?

Additionally, a very natural line of thinking goes like this: if it’s 1 year before the Sabbath year, and someone asks me for a loan, why would I lend to them, knowing they can’t pay it back in time before I must forgive their debt? The passage immediately after this one addresses it:

If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

The LORD (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)

Amazingly, God calls the creditor to cheerfully give, despite knowing that this person will likely not pay them back! His imperative is that we take care of the needy, rather than ourselves.

There’s a similar type of wisdom I’ve heard that says: if you are lending money to family or friends, assume you won’t get paid back. Give it joyfully and think of it as a gift to help someone in their time of need. If you can’t afford to forgive the debt, you can’t afford to lend it in the first place. This helps to strengthen and preserve relationships, one of the most valuable forms of capital for all of us.

Finally, one thing to note: the original commands here refer to releasing debts of “your neighbor” or “your brother”, which is to say, a fellow Hebrew/Israelites. God specifically states that you may exact this debt from a foreigner:

Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release.

Deuteronomy 15:3

What are we to make of this? In a place like America with so many foreigners and non-natives, does this mean we can exploit the debt of those who are not like us? Many far smarter than I have probably researched this and written about it, but when I think about how to contextualize this for a modern society, I’m reminded of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.

{A lawyer, upon hearing Jesus say to “Love… your neighbor as yourself”, asks the questions “And who is my neighbor?”}

{Jesus replies with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and asks, “which of these three [the priest, Levite, or Samaritan (a foreigner)]… proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”}

“He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37 (summarized)

In my mind, the easy solution to this apparent cognitive dissonance is to realize that for today’s day and age, we can follow Jesus’ definition of a “neighbor” that was made explicitly clear in this parable; that is, anyone around us.

release of slaves

If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the LORD your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.

Deuteronomy 15:12-14

In ancient Israelite times, people who hit hard times and couldn’t afford their land could sell themselves as slaves to their neighbors (this is more like “indentured servitude”, rather than the modern-day American understanding of the word “slave”). The master would pay for food & housing, and the servant would work for a fixed period. When Shmita (the Sabbath year; “release”) comes around, the servant can decide either to stay with their master if he’s been good (see Exodus 21:5-6); or leave servitude, return to their land and previous life, and become independent. And according to the above command, if the servant leaves, the master is to provide a generous departure gift to help them restart their life.

I love this idea, and it seems to go along with the previous theme of preventing systematic and extended inequality. It doesn’t remove the existing structure of indentured servitude (which admittedly, if done well, was likely beneficial for both parties anyways). However, I imagine that this mandated release every 7 years would prevent the systematic exploitation of the less well-off and prevent the creation of a large “servant class” that are unable to escape the cycle of servanthood. To further this goal, the master is called to send off the servant with departing gifts to help them get back on their feet. I think this is a great practical example of how to help others within your existing context.

One last note: this periodic release of slaves would’ve been excellent symbolism to regularly remind the Israelites that God released them from slavery in Egypt many years ago.

so what?

To be honest, this idea of “release” is the most challenging for me to contextualize to modern life today. For most of us, we are in systems where we are actually the debtor, rather than the creditor – as such, there’s not a clear action to take regarding the release of debts (side note: for the creditors out there, if you’ve been convicted by God to release some of the debts owed you, please reach out and let me know! I’d love to capture those stories.).

Additionally, slavery is not a societal norm (though sadly, modern-day slavery still runs rampant underneath the surface of civilization), and a system of indentured servitude isn’t really standard practice for modern-day America (another side note: if you do have a servant, especially outside of America, I’d love to hear more about your experience, and see if God has convicted you to give generously upon their release/departure).

During my studies, I’ve tried to understand the heart of God’s kingdom and God’s economy. It’s a system built upon grace and dignity, where there are mechanisms in place that guarantee freedom to people. And to me, this system acts as a continual reminder of these two facts:

1. As the LORD has blessed us, let us bless others.
2. As the LORD has rescued us from slavery (to masters, to sin, etc.), let us aim to help others and rescue them from their slavery/bondage (whether physical, emotional, financial, etc.).

A healthy conclusion to the topic of release is a reminder that the only reason God can freely release people from their debts and servitude, is because He is wealthy enough to cover any unpaid debt, no matter how large. The riches of God’s grace and mercy are what brought Jesus down to earth, dying to pay the price for our sins (the debt that we owed and couldn’t pay back), and releasing us from slavery to sin, making a way for our freedom.  

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^{Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.}

Mark 2:27 (NASB)

Many of us don’t get enough rest. Many of us have been taught to hustle, grind, work hard, and achieve. For many of us, rest is a reluctant necessity rather than a refreshing joy.

While I was in University, I learned about the beauty of rest and how impactful keeping a Sabbath could be. Setting aside every Saturday to rest from studying, homework, and the busyness of college allowed me to embrace the joy that God had for me. I felt closer to Him and more in tune with His heart. I had dedicated time to study His word, serve His people, and follow His will. Plus, surprisingly, because I knew I couldn’t do any work on Saturdays, I was even more efficient with homework and studying during the week!

Since University, I’ve continued to try embracing the Sabbath, and it’s been such a fruitful gift.

This rhythm of a weekly Sabbath extended to God’s commands for a 7-year cycle of Sabbath. In God’s commands to the Israelites, He speaks of two different kinds of rest to prioritize in the 7^th year:

1. rest for the land
2. rest for the workers

rest for the land

For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land.

God (Leviticus 25:3-5)

This principle of rest for the land is a fascinating one. You may remember the idea of crop rotation from your education. Essentially, if you plant and harvest the same crops repeatedly, you deplete the land of the same nutrients and will eventually struggle to produce the same yield. At this point, the land becomes hard to work and more susceptible to disease, pests, and erosion.

God codified this into a Land Sabbath – every 7^th year, the Israelites were to rest from working the land, and to let it “lie fallow”. This was a common principle in the past that allowed the land to restore its nutrients and be rejuvenated. It’s amazing that even the land God created requires rhythms of rejuvenation and restoration!

In the modern era, we still contend with the depletion of land resources – however, due to enhanced crop rotation, fertilizer production, and scientific advancements, humans can now work the land every year, so that yield is maximized.

I think there’s a lot of wisdom in what God provided. The Sabbath Year for the land allows it to rest and continue to be fruitful and productive, but there’s also a deeper meaning here: we shouldn’t try to maximize output at the expense of personal and environmental health – live with what you have, enjoy rest, and trust that God will provide enough for us.

rest for the workers

You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. The Sabbath of the land shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.

God (Leviticus 25:5-7)

Living has always been struggle of survival. Everyone has to work; in fact, work was even designated back during the Garden of Eden! We all need to obtain the resources we need to survive.

However, God’s command of the Sabbath Year flips that on its head to illustrate that our survival is, in fact, not up to us but to Him. With that, He commands the Israelites, their workers, and their animals to a full year of rest on every 7^th year.

Without working for it in the final year, the Land will produce enough food for everyone who relies on the land: the owners, slaves, hired workers, foreigners, and even the domesticated and wild animals. Truly, this is a demonstration of Jesus’ teachings thousands of years into the future in Matthew 6:

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

JEsus Christ (Matthew 6:30-31)

so what?

As I think through these bible passages and principles, I feel God giving me the following takeaway messages:

• We don’t rest enough!
• Rest is a gift from the Lord
• Rest is not weakness, but a realization of both your finite life and God’s infinite riches and blessings

I would encourage every reader here to start employing some rhythms of rest, whether it be a few minutes of quiet time with God each morning, an hour of meditation and reflection on the day’s events each night, or a day of rest dedicated to the Lord, a Sabbath, each week.

Carve out some time for yourself to slow down – if you don’t make a conscious effort, the world will sweep you away in the incessant busyness and demand for more output and productivity from your life.

But in God’s kingdom, you can rest knowing that maximizing output and productivity is not His chief aim for your life – rather, His aim is that you would know Him, rest in Him, and follow after Him.

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“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:24)

You might be familiar with this verse, especially if you grew up in the Christian church. I know I was. I’ve heard many sermons on it in childhood, and it was repeated throughout messages in college ministries. I never thought I would be tempted to serve money – but that’s because back then, I didn’t have any to serve.

After graduating University with degree in hand and a job lined up, within a month of my first paycheck, I started dreaming of what my money could do for me. What if I was financially independent? What if I retired early? Could my money continue to make money for me, so I didn’t have to work again? (Hint: this line of thinking sounds suspiciously similar to Luke 12:13-21)

I spent many hours a week researching, scouring r/financialindependence, reading mrmoneymustache, and listening to FIRE podcasts. I looked at my bank account balance daily, despite the only change coming from direct deposit every 2 weeks. These aren’t inherently bad things to pay attention to (and in many instances, being a proper steward of your finances is wise) – but I felt my gaze and direction move away from Jesus and toward the pursuit of money instead.

One day, as I was reading my Bible, I came across this passage:

“For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD.”

The LORD (Leviticus 25:3-4a)

From that moment on, I couldn’t get the idea of a Sabbath Year, a year of rest dedicated to the Lord, out of my head. If I put a pause on my career to rest, I realized this would reduce my faith in my company, my money, and myself – I would only have God to lean on and trust in. This could be a great way to break down idols.

I continued to get confirmation over the past 6 years. Things like church sermons, joys of a Weekly Sabbath, and conversations with pastors and trusted friends, all contributed towards this idea. Additionally, two clear signs of confirmation manifested:

1. My 7^th year of working would fall in the range of ~Aug 2021 to ~Sept 2022. In Year 4, I casually googled when the Jewish Sabbath Year was, and guess what? Nov 2021 – Oct 2022. Just about the same timing.
2. “God will provide enough in the 6th year, for the 7th year” (Leviticus 25:20-22): As I entered my 6th year of working, one day in August 2020, my manager pulled me aside with a “Quick Connect” meeting. It turns out, I had just gotten a surprise promotion! This was additional blessing from God to enable me to do this year of rest dedicated to Him.

There are no coincidences in the Kingdom of God! And eventually, God shifted my mindset from this Sabbath Year being just a fun idea, into a clear calling for me.

In the rest of these introductory blog posts to come, I’ll detail out the biblical and historical themes of the Sabbath years through the lenses of: Rest, Release, and Remembrance. After that, I plan to write other posts on the Sabbath more generally, and practically what’s next for me.

I hope you will join me on this journey! I’m excited to share this part of my life with you, with two hopes:

1. If you’re a Follower of Christ, I hope to challenge you to consider a few things:
   • Contemplate the role of money in your life – where have you placed it in your list of priorities?
   • If you’re not already doing it, consider making a practice out of the Weekly Sabbath – it’s been a life-giving rhythm of rest for me, and great trellis for my faith to grow on.
   • See if God might be calling you to an extended time of rest! It’s a gift that I’m able to do this, but He may be calling you as well.
   • Regardless of the length of time, how can we take the principles of Godly rest and apply them into our daily lives?
2. If you’re not yet a Follower of Christ:
   • I hope this can explain why someone might “leave” the “American Dream” (or at least de-prioritize it) to pursue a higher purpose.
   • Ask yourself: what is your higher purpose? What’s guiding you in your life?
   • I’d encourage you to explore making God your higher calling & higher purpose.

Thanks for joining me! I’m excited to share with you what God’s been putting on my heart, and what’s next on the journey.

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