At my house, the start of each Sabbath is a struggle.

A few months ago, we decided to be more intentional about setting aside time for slowing down and rest, including taking a break from all screens. (With two teenage girls and a 9‑year-old boy, you can imagine why this might be a struggle.)

We’ve been experimenting with how to make Sabbath feel less like deprivation and more like celebration. So Saturday night we light a candle and dig five spoons into a giant warm homemade cookie drowned in ice cream (hat tip to John Mark Comer). A time of sharing ​“highs and lows” commences in which we try (and hilariously fail) to listen to each other without interrupting.

We’ve come to look forward to Sabbath, but we still have to contend for it. It’s a struggle not only to wrangle the kids to the table but also to wrangle my own soul there as well. It feels more natural to keep going, to do one more house project, answer one more email.

But after we get to the table and light the candle and eat the cookie, my heart begins to settle (my stomach less so!). It may take all night before my pangs for productivity cease. But usually by Sunday afternoon the slowing has done its work and my soul feels steadied and refreshed. Even if it doesn’t, I can trust God is at work over the long haul.

There is a tension of following in the way of Jesus. He invites us… 

to be intentional without becoming rigid, 

to be consistent without becoming legalistic, 

to hold on to rhythms without white-knuckling them,

and to believe God is a rewarder of those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6) without demanding those rewards appear immediately.

Jesus himself is the Way. Our focus is to be on him and what he’s done, not on us and what we do. But he’s also shown us the way that leads to life, which involves practicing the things he practiced.

Think of the words of the Apostle Paul to the church at Philippi: ​“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice” (Phil 4:9a).

As we work with the practices of Jesus (and his friends down through the ages), let’s take him seriously but ourselves less so. The pressure to perform for God was crucified with Christ.

Have fun. Start small. Practice… fail… laugh at yourself… practice again.

As we do, the God of peace will be with us (Phil 4:9b).