.png)
Day Nineteen Lent Meditation: Sabbathing in The Wilderness, A 40-Day Spring Prayer
- Andrea Angie (GA)
- Mar 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 30
SOULjourner,
Today, we reflect on Sabbathing—the Hebrew word meaning "to cease, to celebrate, to rest, to stop."
Rest isn’t a luxury—it’s an essential expression of our human BEingness and needs to be intentionally woven into our lives, shaping how we approach both doing and being.
Hebrew Word Study: Sabbath
Sabbath is a sacred invitation to "return to the mark"—a divine rhythm of rest, renewal, and gratitude. It is not about recovering from exhaustion or earning rest as a reward for hard work. Instead, it is about recognizing that all work is rooted in celebration and trust in God's provision.
The root of Shabbat (Shin-Beit-Tav) combines the ideas of cessation (shavat) and return (shuv). To "return to the mark" means aligning with God's design for rhythmic flourishing—a pattern that reminds us of our personal and collective wholeness.
This flourishing is not dependent on labor or productivity but on "I AM's" compassion, creativity, and communal connection.
As we Sabbath in the wilderness, we are summoned to celebrate the goodness of rest even amidst uncertainty and life’s wild terrain. Sabbath becomes a heart posture—a practice of noticing, nurturing, and embodying the gifts created by God and ourselves as co-creators.
Even when we don’t feel celebratory or when life feels chaotic, Sabbath invites us to pause and rest in the rhythm of the Beloved's divine presence + provision. It is a multifaceted rest that teaches our souls that celebratory rest is not bound by feelings or circumstances but flows from connection with the Divine.
Rest is not One Size Fits All
Rest is not one-size-fits-all. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith identifies seven types of rest in her book Sacred Rest, reminding us that different dimensions of our well-being require different forms of RESToration:
Physical rest: Naps, gentle stretching, deep breathing exercises, swimming, dancing, walking, watching TV, meditation, taking a long bath, or physical activity breaks. Even something as simple as sitting down with your feet up can be restorative.
Mental rest: Meditation, mindfulness practices, stepping away from screens, cognitive breaks, reducing information input, doing something physical or mindless—activities that don’t require constant thinking or processing.
Emotional rest: Journaling, processing feelings, and expressing emotions through conversation with family or friends. Emotional rest can also include distracting activities such as getting lost in a book, movie, or game.
Sensory rest: Reducing sensory input by creating calm environments, managing sensory sensitivities with tools like noise-canceling headphones, lying down with an eye mask, wearing soothing clothes, or sleeping with a weighted blanket.
Creative rest: Engaging with art or nature through passive creative experiences like daydreaming or coloring—or simply allowing your mind to wander freely.
Social rest: Balancing social interactions through selective socializing or alone time. Social rest also involves spending time with people who replenish you and allow you to be fully yourself without masking or pretending.
Spiritual rest: Connecting with a sense of purpose through reflection on values; engaging in meaningful practices such as prayer, journaling, somatic movements, meditation, or spending time in nature to reconnect with the Divine.
We need more than one type of rest to truly restore ourselves—and identifying what kind of rest you need can sometimes be tricky.
For neurodivergent souls especially,
developing a practice of attuning to yourself throughout the day or week is a compassionate response to your humanity. By checking in with how you’re rhythmically feeling—physically, emotionally, mentally—you can better discern what kind of rest your unique humanity needs + desires.
conventional wisdom often suggests taking frequent short breaks throughout the day—but for many neurodivergent individuals, this can feel disruptive rather than restorative. If you thrive on long periods of uninterrupted work followed by substantial downtime instead of brief pauses—embrace it, SOULjourner.
release any guilt as you honor your unique rest rhythms; they will look different and diverge not only from others’ but also from previous ways you may have approached rest.
A Prayer - Sabbathing in The Wilderness
This Lenten season...
Teach us to believe in + behold the goodness of sabbathing. A rest that is not a reward for our labor but a sacred rhythm that draws us closer to You and one another in celebration of meaningful connections, whether in distress or delight.
Amen + Asé
Take time to journal or linger with your thoughts, feelings, and insights as you explore your heart.
A Gift Set SOULution
Featuring The Breath Prayer Card Set
I invite you to release + receive the Breath Prayer card set. It’s part of the ‘Build Your Own Gift Set’ SOULution—start with step one to choose your box, then move to step two to fill your box with the Breath Prayer card set, along with other treasured gifts.
You're investing in a somatic practice of prayer-infused embodiment to amplify your peace.
Until next time,
Gift from your soul.
✧
Deepen Your Soul Care Journey
Beloved SOULjourner, as you continue to nurture your gift-giving practice, discover sustainable gifts designed to embody intentional gift-giving + connection.
Soulful gifting for social change in the soul care boutique be inspired to amplify your ARTvocacy through peace + play vibes.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only as I share my pastoral care, my journey, and bring to you valuable research. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing any medical concerns or symptoms, please seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional.
JOIN THE SOULJOURNER COLLECTIVE
Receive soul care wisdom + exclusive peace practices in your inbox. Enter your name + email to join our global community of intentional gift-givers.
