This past week, a friend and I found ourselves in one of those long, soul-level conversations that stay with you. We were talking about what it really means to honor the Sabbath, and it stirred something deep in me. Out of the Ten Commandments, this one feels especially firm and clear. It is not presented as a suggestion but as a command. That alone tells me God placed great weight on it. Yet, in today’s world, I have found myself asking, what does honoring the Sabbath truly look like now?
As someone who spends her days caring for her family, running a home, researching wholesome foods, preparing lunches, and creating a space that feels peaceful and healthy, it can feel impossible to slow down. I know many of you probably feel the same way. How do we honor the Sabbath when our lives are full and our work never seems to end?
A Question That Stays With Me
My heart keeps returning to this question: if God never changes, then His Word never changes either. But what does that mean in a world that looks so different from biblical times? Does God allow for how modern life functions? Does He meet us in the pace we now live?
I recently spoke with my dad about it. His words were simple but wise. He said that honoring the Sabbath is not about doing absolutely nothing. It is about creating space. It is about not filling every second of every day with movement, events, or obligations. His reminder helped me see that rest is not laziness. It is obedience.
What Honoring the Sabbath Looks Like for Me
As a mom and wife, I stay busy, school drop-offs, meal prep, cleaning, and even studying what foods are truly clean and nourishing in a world that often hides what we are consuming. Did you know that certain fruits and vegetables have sprays like APEEL on them? I did not until I started researching it myself. Staying informed takes time, and time often feels like the one thing we do not have enough of.
Still, God calls us to rest. He modeled it Himself. After creating the heavens and the earth, God rested on the seventh day. He did not stop because He was tired. He stopped to set an example. That example is not just about physical rest, it is about restoration. When we allow ourselves to pause, to slow down, and to let our bodies and minds recover, we are actually participating in the divine rhythm He created for us.
Rest Is More Than Doing Nothing
For me, rest does not mean ignoring the needs of my family. It means slowing down enough to be fully present with them. It might look like baking bread together, reading to my girls, or preparing a meal that nourishes us from the inside out. Sometimes, honoring the Sabbath looks like stepping away from my phone, avoiding errands, and simply allowing my mind to be still.
I think about the time I spend milling your own wheat and how much peace that process brings. It is slow, grounding, and intentional. There is something deeply spiritual about it, just as I shared in my post The True Value of Milling Your Own Wheat. It reminds me that slowing down is not wasteful- it is worship. When I grind grain (granted by machine), I am reminded that nourishment takes time. The same is true for the soul.
Why Rest Heals the Body and the Spirit
God designed us with limits. When we push past them without pause, our bodies eventually remind us that something is off. Honoring the Sabbath is God’s way of protecting us from burnout. It restores balance and invites peace back into our homes. Just as freshly milled bread nourishes the body with living nutrients, resting one day a week nourishes the soul with living grace.
We know that rest heals. It regulates our stress, restores our immune systems, and brings mental clarity. But more than that, it allows us to realign our priorities. When I give one day to God, fully, without guilt or distraction, it reminds me that everything I have is sustained by Him, not by my effort.
Honoring the Sabbath in a Busy World
So, what does the Sabbath look like for me as a modern mom? It is not perfect, but it is intentional. I try to protect one day a week where the focus is simply family, faith, and restoration. Sometimes that means a quiet breakfast, reading Scripture with my girls, or spending time outdoors where creation speaks louder than the world.
Honoring the Sabbath for me has become less about stopping everything and more about slowing everything down. It is about creating a rhythm where peace has space to live.
If you find yourself wondering how to honor the Sabbath amid motherhood, work, and the endless to-do lists, I want to encourage you that God never meant it to be complicated. He meant it to be a gift. When we choose rest, we are saying, “I trust You to hold everything while I breathe.”
