What is a Sabbatical and Who Should Take One?

When my counselor suggested I take a sabbatical I was a bit confused. Could I do that? Is that allowed?

My rule-following self thought sabbaticals were formal and reserved for clergy and academia. I thought they were an “extended absence in the career of an individual to fulfill some goal, e.g., writing a book or travelling extensively for research.” (Wikipedia)

And as much as I like that idea some days… as a full time wife and mom my family would be highly disappointed if I disappeared to write and travel without them!

It turns out that my assumptions were based more in modern culture than in God’s original intention.

Since God created sabbaths and sabbaticals – let’s look at what the Bible tells us about them.

The concept of a sabbath is first introduced in Genesis 2 when God himself rests after his work is finished.

“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. “

Genesis 2:2

Then in Exodus God instructed the Jewish people to follow his example and practice resting every week on the sabbath:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work…”

Exodus 16:8-10a

In addition to weekly sabbaths, God instructs his people to observe a whole list of feasts and celebrations throughout the year – all of which contain elements of sabbaths. You can read about this list of sabbath feasts in Leviticus 23.

A couple chapters later in Leviticus God extends the blessing of sabbaticals onto creation. He instructs the Jewish people to give their fields a one-year break (or sabbatical) every seven years of farming. This allowed the land the replenish the nutrients lost and increase fertility for the next round of farming. This idea was called shmita.

“…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.”

Leviticus 25:4

Apparently God knew that rest is good for us!

I think our modern day definition of sabbaticals – as something that only relates to specific people in specific careers – is unfortunate.

We’ve forgotten how important rest is for all of us – and the fact that God gave us rest as a gift.

After studying sabbaticals and taking one myself, here is how I would define a sabbatical:

• A season of rest where you:
  • Remove all the unnecessary things from your schedule
  • Remember who God is
  • Reflect on your purpose and calling
  • Refine your priorities moving forward

It’s a time to treat yourself like the land in Leviticus 25 – giving your heart and your mind a chance to pause, be nourished, and get prepared for the next season of life.

So, who would benefit from a sabbatical? I would argue – we all would! But here are a few scenarios that might resonate with you:

1. You’ve walked through a challenging season or a trauma and now you’re on the other side. You feel like a very different person now. How do you fit back in to “normal” life?
2. You’ve been on the COVID-19 elimination diet. You’ve just spent a year being more isolated than you’d like and involuntarily gave up many things that you used to participate in. Now you are looking ahead at life and wondering if you really want to add all those same things back in, or if you want to make some longer term adjustments.
3. You are exhausted. Life hasn’t been traumatic per-se, but the every day tasks are wearing you down. You just need a break. You need to be reminded of your own identity apart from your to-do list, but there is barely enough time to get a massage let alone take a sabbatical!

Taking a sabbatical doesn’t have to be complicated.

It is a season of rest. But it’s deeper than just watching Netflix all day or napping on the beach.

It will involve some work.

But it is the good kind of soul work that draws your heart closer to God. It will be a chance to assess your priorities, and how you want to spend your time moving forward.

It may lead to saying goodbye to some really good things. It may show you things that surprise you – revealing hidden causes of stress or new areas of passion.

Next week I will share with you my personal story of taking a sabbatical. I’ll share some of the practical details of how I did it. As well as some of the things I learned through it.

Until then, I hope you’ll read more about sabbaticals on your own and ask God if maybe now is the right time for you to take one yourself!