When I was in middle school, I rode the bus. I lived in a rural area, and the ride to school took nearly an hour. I would start walking to my bus stop long before the sun came up and wait at the front of the line. When the bus came, I would try to be one of the first to climb in to get to my seat toward the back, slide over to the window, and immediately place my backpack, jacket, purse, lunchbox—whatever I had with me—on the seat next to me. I did this because 15 minutes later, two stops down the winding country road, my best friend would get on the bus and sit beside me.  

There were lots of distractions on that bus: other friends, people I really enjoyed being around, a boy I thought was so cute, but never once did I consider moving my stuff for anyone else. I protected that seat with my life. That space was saved.

Turns out saving space gets harder as you grow up. 

We fill our lives to the brim with work, studying, volunteering, investing in relationships with friends and family and so much more. We are going non-stop and still not getting it all done. Even when we are resting, we are scrolling on our phones, and taking in constant information and entertainment. There is no room available. We are full.

And yet, the very concept of Sabbath is calling us to stop, to pause, to save space.

The practice of Sabbath has quite literally been around since the beginning of time. In Genesis 2, after six days of setting the sun, moon and stars into motion, designing ecosystems and weather patterns, fashioning every living creature, forming and breathing life into mankind, molding chaos into order, God stops. He ceases to create, setting the day apart for rest, not out of His own weariness, but as an example for all of us. He later gives His covenant people the same command: On this holy day, interrupt the chaotic rhythms of everyday life and just be. This wasn’t just an order to be followed, but a gift to be enjoyed. 

Later we see Jesus’ practice of Sabbath in His life. In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus pull away from the crowds and the demands of the day to just rest in the presence of God.  

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when society observed Sabbath collectively. Stores and restaurants were closed on Sunday. The pace of the day was slower. On those days, there weren’t expectations of schoolwork or sports.  

Times have certainly changed. How do you find time to stop in a world that does not stop for you? 

How to Practice Sabbath

1. Start small. If taking an entire day seems daunting, block out only a few hours. Try to be consistent in setting aside this time each week.

2. Set boundaries to protect that time. Put it in your calendar like an appointment. Yes, there may be occasional calendar items that cannot be rescheduled and have to interrupt that sacred time, but those should be the exception and not the rule. 

3. Decide what this time should look like. Do you need to unplug for a bit? Get out in nature?  Spend time in the Word? Journal or read? Enjoy this time like the gift it is meant to be. It may look different depending on your circumstances and season of life. 

4. Reframe your thinking. We have to let go of the mindset that rest equals laziness. Evidence shows that regular rest promotes mental and physical health and boosts creativity. Exhaustion is not a badge of honor. It leads to fogginess, burnout, and resentment. We also need to drop the idea that the relentless hustle and grind will make our lives better. We exist in a culture that glorifies productivity, when very often, our constant pursuit of achievement at all costs leads to destruction. 

5. Realign your heart. Taking time away allows us to refocus our hearts. When our attention is all on ourselves, our to-do lists, our problems, and our achievements, our perception is skewed. When we can sit in the presence of God with our attention on Him, we can see the bigger picture and our place in it more clearly. Like an artist who walks away from his masterpiece to allow it to settle and dry, we can return to our work with a fresh perspective.

6. Find accountability. Find a friend who can go on this journey with you. When busyness is creeping in, you can encourage each other to step away and draw near to God.  

Sabbath is not about keeping a set number of rules. The actions of Jesus in the Gospels will tell you that! It is about humbling yourself, taking a breath, and seeking the heart of God. Rest in His presence, friend. He is saving a space for you.

This article was originally titled “Saving Space” in the April 2025 issue of Peer.