Sabbath: A gift that helps us set boundaries on our busyness and adds rhythm to our weeks

Bruce Cannon and his wife, Linda, served as church planters in Poland for 17 years before moving back to the States to lead SEND’s Personnel & Member Care Department. In this article in our Flourish series, he shares about one of God’s gifts to us: Sabbath rest.

• • •

When we returned from Poland, it blew us away how busy people were, and proud of it. And it was good stuff! Serving in the church, serving people. In fact, there seems to be no end to the needs we see around us.

In North American culture, our value is based on what we produce, so busyness can almost be a badge of honor. Have you ever had the feeling that you’re not doing enough to please God or to please the people around you? We don’t think of busyness as a sin, but if it keeps us from following and hearing God, it can be.

Busyness can also be something we use to avoid intimacy. We all have junk in our life. That’s part of being human and living in a sinful world. We can use busyness to keep from dealing with the uncomfortable stuff.

But this problem is not limited to life in North America. I have yet to meet a missionary who hasn’t faced the challenge of busyness.

In our experience on the field, my wife and I hit the wall many times through not knowing when to say no. Setting boundaries can be particularly hard for missionaries, because we’re also called to sacrifice. It can be tough to sense when “This is more than I can handle, but I’m sacrificing for the Lord,” crosses the line into, “I’m sacrificing, but now I’m actually doing damage to my own soul, to my marriage, to my life, to my kids.”

Thankfully, Sabbath is a gift God has given us as an antidote to our busyness.

Sabbath in Scripture

The Hebrew word translated “rested” is really ceased or stopped. Why did God stop? Of course, God wasn’t tired or worn out; rather, he was establishing a pattern for us that shows that rest is good. In fact, this is the first time in the Bible that something is called holy.

Here we see a different reason God gives Israel for observing Sabbath — you were slaves, and you were brought out into freedom. Slaves didn’t have a choice; they HAD to work seven days a week. But now you don’t need to keep living like a slave. You’ve been set free.

Sabbath: A four-part gift

1. Sabbath is God’s provision to help us thrive, to engage in life-giving practices. Think of it as a day to just rest in the Lord, and ask him, “What do you have for me today as your gift in my life? What will restore me, body, soul and spirit?” That can be different for different people or in different seasons of life. I am refreshed by solitude; others are refreshed by spending time with good friends. Physical activity, especially in nature, refreshes me; others are refreshed in a whole different setting. Sabbath is not one size fits all.

2. Sabbath is God’s way of protecting us from our addiction to production. It’s a time that God allows us to be free from things like checking our email, or any other oughts or shoulds. It’s a practice of the sovereignty of God. If I really believe that my ministry doesn’t depend on me doing certain stuff NOW, if I can trust that God is in control, I can step away. I can practice Sabbath.

3. Sabbath is a great gift of God to help us regain perspective. You know that every once in a while, it’s helpful for you to turn off your computer and reboot. God gives us Sabbath as a way to do a weekly reboot — to regain perspective, to realign priorities.

4. Sabbath is God’s reminder that he built us for rhythm. We’re not designed to just keep going and going. As you read the Scriptures, you see the yearly rhythms of seasons, the monthly rhythms of the lunar cycle, the weekly patterns set off by the Sabbath, and the daily rhythms of night and day — and each are important.

Some helpful Sabbath practices drawn from Jewish tradition

A few excellent books on Sabbath

Additional Posts

By SEND media Team August 4, 2026
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
By SEND Media May 11, 2026
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
By SEND Media May 11, 2026
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
Show More