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The Art of Rest: Faith to Hit Pause in a World that Never Stops
If you're feeling weary… wishing life were more sustainable… searching for a way to rest without feeling guilty… suspecting that you'd enjoy godly rest if only you knew what it was… look no further.
This warm, realistic, humorous book will show you how rest is different to what you thought it was, and more important than you've realized.
The world never stops. But you can. You need to. And it's wonderful. It's time to learn the art of rest.
This warm, realistic, humorous book will show you how rest is different to what you thought it was, and more important than you've realized.
The world never stops. But you can. You need to. And it's wonderful. It's time to learn the art of rest.
144 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
99 people are currently reading
925 people want to read
About the author
Adam Mabry
11 books41 followersAdam Mabry is Lead Pastor of Aleithia Church Boston, MA, a rapidly-growing downtown church. He is married to Hope and they have four children. Before planting Aleithia, they had planted two churches in Edinburgh, Scotland. Adam did his theological studies at Reformed Theological Seminary and is studying for a PhD at Aberdeen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
May 8, 2018
Painful and freeing. Simultaneously, this book was painfully convicting because of my need for rest, but it was also joyfully freeing to uncover the path to freedom. Freedom from the tyranny of the urgent, freedom from the list of to-dos, and freedom from the pressure to see myself as a human doing, instead of a human being.
March 18, 2019
Wow. What fantastic little book about a HUGE problem in both secular and Christian culture. I could relate to a huge amount of what the author shared personally about his struggle to take time to rest. It was an excellent help to me in my quest to learn to take "sabbath" times each week. This book is written in a very easy to read, conversational style and yet is rich with biblical truth. I think this needs to an an annual or even bi-annual read for me as my tendency is to slip back into doing life at a frenetic pace. I highly recommend this book for anyone feeling weary or burned out and also for those who aren't yet. (as a preventative!)
May 31, 2018
A very convicting book on the need to rest. It’s not a Sabbatarian book, but one from sovereignty and wisdom. Greatly recommended.
September 29, 2024
Best intro level reflection on rest/recreation/leisure I’ve yet found. Only book I’ve read on the topic that frames rest as the practice of deliberately receiving the benefits of God’s work. Doesn’t over-spiritualise what forms rest may come in. Nice.
The 4 stars primarily reflects my relief at finally finding a book on this that I can recommend!!!
And it is short.
The 4 stars primarily reflects my relief at finally finding a book on this that I can recommend!!!
And it is short.
January 25, 2021
At points worthy of 3 stars, at others, 4, but I've landed on 4 so there you go. Adam Mabry is keen to stress biblical reasons for rest, but as someone who's not convinced of the endurance of Sabbath legislation in the New Covenant, he resists the temptation to appeal to the 4th Commandment. On that front, I'm with him. Instead, he shares various other motivations to rest, while extolling the virtues of a 1 in 7 pattern, and giving a generous helping of illustrations to make sure the book stays readable. Each chapter sits well within the scope of what most people could read in a short sitting, and he's determined to change how you think about rest before he'll get to the nitty gritty of what rest looks like. Again, I'm with him - that's far more important.
But there were a few moments when I felt like the use of the Bible was slightly odd. And when, towards the end, he turns more practical, it felt like a good illustration of ways you might rest rather than outlining 'the art of rest' - and given the title, that felt a little disappointing. (Doesn't "The Art of Rest" suggest we might get a bit more practical?)
So why as many as 4 stars? Well, because outlining the practice of rest in any sort of exhaustive way was always going to be impossible. Because getting our thinking about rest corrected is far more important than telling me how to rest. And, ultimately, because I'm grateful that I read this book. He gave some useful prompts to take time off - and to take it off well, and to make sure rest is used Christianly. I think I'll rest better as a result. And I may well read it again.
But there were a few moments when I felt like the use of the Bible was slightly odd. And when, towards the end, he turns more practical, it felt like a good illustration of ways you might rest rather than outlining 'the art of rest' - and given the title, that felt a little disappointing. (Doesn't "The Art of Rest" suggest we might get a bit more practical?)
So why as many as 4 stars? Well, because outlining the practice of rest in any sort of exhaustive way was always going to be impossible. Because getting our thinking about rest corrected is far more important than telling me how to rest. And, ultimately, because I'm grateful that I read this book. He gave some useful prompts to take time off - and to take it off well, and to make sure rest is used Christianly. I think I'll rest better as a result. And I may well read it again.
December 3, 2024
“Rest is a gift from the father, renewed by the son, and sustained by the spirit… we can’t work for it, but we can receive it.”
I started this book out of curiosity and I’m so glad I did. I left it feeling convicted that the quality and quantity of my rest leaves much to be desired, challenged to take rest seriously, educated about what biblical rest is, and so grateful for the God of rest that I can rest in. I appreciated Mabry’s exploration of rest in a culture that loves to be busy and needs to implement a rhythm of both work and rest in light of the gospel.
I started this book out of curiosity and I’m so glad I did. I left it feeling convicted that the quality and quantity of my rest leaves much to be desired, challenged to take rest seriously, educated about what biblical rest is, and so grateful for the God of rest that I can rest in. I appreciated Mabry’s exploration of rest in a culture that loves to be busy and needs to implement a rhythm of both work and rest in light of the gospel.
September 4, 2021
Wow! I loved this book. It was so accessible and relatable. My perception of rest in my Christian walk has been changed. As someone who is not very good at rest I’ve been encouraged to learn!
December 2, 2024
Harshest 4-star review I've ever given. More like 4.4999...
Really excellent book from Mabry. Helpful not only in going through a New Covenant view of Sabbath but also in challenging us to re-orient our lives on Christ in all aspects of how we live. While the ultimate call to ensure 1 day in 7 belongs wholly to the Lord, the bits of this book that I personally found convicting were about the other 6: how am I (or rather, how am I not) giving them to God? Really great stuff.
Really excellent book from Mabry. Helpful not only in going through a New Covenant view of Sabbath but also in challenging us to re-orient our lives on Christ in all aspects of how we live. While the ultimate call to ensure 1 day in 7 belongs wholly to the Lord, the bits of this book that I personally found convicting were about the other 6: how am I (or rather, how am I not) giving them to God? Really great stuff.
May 22, 2018
I listened to the audio book. A good theology of rest with some helpful suggestions.
January 24, 2021
This book struck a chord with me. As a firstborn, type "A" personality, I am naturally driven. No one has to flog me to get moving or to stay going. If anything, I struggle with slowing down. In addition, I went to a Bible college that put working hard and producing ahead of nearly everything. You were thought of as "weak" if you didn't sacrifice crazy amount of hours for the ministry and for God. Many of my fellow ministers struggle with the same thing. The author, Adam Mabry, confesses to the same struggle early on in the book.
I appreciated the emphasis not just on rest, but the "why" behind the rest that Mabry builds on in the first several chapters in the book. Biblically sound, this will challenge every Christian out there that could use some encouragement to slow down that "inner motor" and learn the Biblical art of rest.
The subtitle "Faith To Hit Pause In a World That Never Stops" subtly hints that Mabry uses examples from the world to juxtapose the Christian doctrine of rest.
Here are some of my favorite truths from the book:
"God didn't rest because he was exhausted, but because he was exhilarated."
"Perhaps the most ingenious lie that the modern world has believed is that to be busy is to be better."
"People often remind me of how busy I am: 'Well, would have called you and asked for help, Pastor, but I know you're so busy.' I usually smile and tell them, 'I'm no busier than you are.' They look at me perplexed, as if I've just rebuffed a compliment. But it's not a compliment. It's complicity with sin. Every time I hear someone tell me how busy I am, I'm tempted to think, 'Well, yes, look at all I do and how important I am.' Those words appeal to something in me - and that something is not good, because it's pride."
"Rest is not a religious action item to be added to a list. It isn't a duty to be performed; it's a delight to be enjoyed. If you can't rest because you're busy doing all these things for God, then pick some of the ones that are optional and stop doing them so that you can obey his non-optional command and invitation to rest with him."
"God gave us regular, weekly times to stop in order to know (because we're bound to forget) that it is God who is God, not us."
"All your work will be done for one of these two ends: to glorify God or to justify yourself."
"For followers of Jesus, rest isn't a sign of weakness."
"Rest will produce anxiety in the person who does not rely on Jesus as Lord; but the person who knows Jesus as Lord will rest to resist anxiety."
"Following Jesus isn't about swapping your old treadmill for a new one. It's about stepping off of them both."
"Pharisees were Jewish religious nationalists. That's probably why Jesus rebuked them by using their national hero, David:
3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
Luke 6:3-4
King David was to Pharisees what George Washington is to American patriots. By invoking their hero, Jesus let them know that he knew what they were living for - more Jewish nationalism than biblical faithfulness."
"If you're happier at work than in Christ, rest will never feel good. If you're more of a mother to your children than you are a daughter of the King, stopping may feel like sin."
"By inviting us to rest with him, he is inviting us to trust that his rewards are better than our idols, and his peace is better than anything for which we can work."
"Jesus had so much to do that he made sure he stopped to sit with his Father. Why? Because he understood that moments of holy rest offer the reward of endurance. If we want to keep going, we need to keep stopping."
"If we would endure, we must rest. Working really hard without rest is a good way to achieve a lot in the short term, followed by dropping out or burning out. Hard work that is regularly punctuated by deep rest is the way to achieve your purpose in the long term. You may have decades of great things ahead of you in this life. You need to rest along the way."
"Not taking a day of rest each week is not sin - but it's probably stupid."
"If you were to take rest more seriously than your reputation, and trust God to do his work even when you are not doing yours, I'll bet you'd find that you have an uncanny ability to make time for priorities."
"When we're always consumed by where we need to go, we never get a chance to thank God for where we've been."
I appreciated the emphasis not just on rest, but the "why" behind the rest that Mabry builds on in the first several chapters in the book. Biblically sound, this will challenge every Christian out there that could use some encouragement to slow down that "inner motor" and learn the Biblical art of rest.
The subtitle "Faith To Hit Pause In a World That Never Stops" subtly hints that Mabry uses examples from the world to juxtapose the Christian doctrine of rest.
Here are some of my favorite truths from the book:
"God didn't rest because he was exhausted, but because he was exhilarated."
"Perhaps the most ingenious lie that the modern world has believed is that to be busy is to be better."
"People often remind me of how busy I am: 'Well, would have called you and asked for help, Pastor, but I know you're so busy.' I usually smile and tell them, 'I'm no busier than you are.' They look at me perplexed, as if I've just rebuffed a compliment. But it's not a compliment. It's complicity with sin. Every time I hear someone tell me how busy I am, I'm tempted to think, 'Well, yes, look at all I do and how important I am.' Those words appeal to something in me - and that something is not good, because it's pride."
"Rest is not a religious action item to be added to a list. It isn't a duty to be performed; it's a delight to be enjoyed. If you can't rest because you're busy doing all these things for God, then pick some of the ones that are optional and stop doing them so that you can obey his non-optional command and invitation to rest with him."
"God gave us regular, weekly times to stop in order to know (because we're bound to forget) that it is God who is God, not us."
"All your work will be done for one of these two ends: to glorify God or to justify yourself."
"For followers of Jesus, rest isn't a sign of weakness."
"Rest will produce anxiety in the person who does not rely on Jesus as Lord; but the person who knows Jesus as Lord will rest to resist anxiety."
"Following Jesus isn't about swapping your old treadmill for a new one. It's about stepping off of them both."
"Pharisees were Jewish religious nationalists. That's probably why Jesus rebuked them by using their national hero, David:
3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
Luke 6:3-4
King David was to Pharisees what George Washington is to American patriots. By invoking their hero, Jesus let them know that he knew what they were living for - more Jewish nationalism than biblical faithfulness."
"If you're happier at work than in Christ, rest will never feel good. If you're more of a mother to your children than you are a daughter of the King, stopping may feel like sin."
"By inviting us to rest with him, he is inviting us to trust that his rewards are better than our idols, and his peace is better than anything for which we can work."
"Jesus had so much to do that he made sure he stopped to sit with his Father. Why? Because he understood that moments of holy rest offer the reward of endurance. If we want to keep going, we need to keep stopping."
"If we would endure, we must rest. Working really hard without rest is a good way to achieve a lot in the short term, followed by dropping out or burning out. Hard work that is regularly punctuated by deep rest is the way to achieve your purpose in the long term. You may have decades of great things ahead of you in this life. You need to rest along the way."
"Not taking a day of rest each week is not sin - but it's probably stupid."
"If you were to take rest more seriously than your reputation, and trust God to do his work even when you are not doing yours, I'll bet you'd find that you have an uncanny ability to make time for priorities."
"When we're always consumed by where we need to go, we never get a chance to thank God for where we've been."
July 16, 2022
A helpful, readable book that I needed as I started back in Sydney where everyone (including me) seems so busy.
Some things I want to remember:
- Sabbath is a time of rest, holy to the lord
"We are God's temple, do we make time to enjoy his presence? That's what Sabbath is for"
- True Sabbath rest is about learning a new rhythm to life where we celebrate the sovereignty of God, enjoy the liberation of the gospel, and truly trust the Salvation Jesus gives
- Rest is to remember; God, ourselves, the meaning of life, grace.
- Rest is resistance against the idolatry of this world. Of self justification.
- Busyness bears down on us as a never ending inner murmur of self-reproach. But it is God's forgiveness that silences that murmur.
- Rewards of rest: memories, reflection, security (slaves can't rest) endurance, anticipation (of the even better heavenly rest)
Put rest in daily (5 min before every meeting to rest/pray), weekly (a day off), yearly (a holiday).
And do things like: sleep, read, pray, reflect/journal, hobbies, have fun, eat, sing.
Rehearse the heavenly art of rest now, and it may become an evangelistic opportunity too.
Some things I want to remember:
- Sabbath is a time of rest, holy to the lord
"We are God's temple, do we make time to enjoy his presence? That's what Sabbath is for"
- True Sabbath rest is about learning a new rhythm to life where we celebrate the sovereignty of God, enjoy the liberation of the gospel, and truly trust the Salvation Jesus gives
- Rest is to remember; God, ourselves, the meaning of life, grace.
- Rest is resistance against the idolatry of this world. Of self justification.
- Busyness bears down on us as a never ending inner murmur of self-reproach. But it is God's forgiveness that silences that murmur.
- Rewards of rest: memories, reflection, security (slaves can't rest) endurance, anticipation (of the even better heavenly rest)
Put rest in daily (5 min before every meeting to rest/pray), weekly (a day off), yearly (a holiday).
And do things like: sleep, read, pray, reflect/journal, hobbies, have fun, eat, sing.
Rehearse the heavenly art of rest now, and it may become an evangelistic opportunity too.
August 4, 2019
This is a quick tool on finding rest. While it was 134 pages, I wish it more succinct and brief. Maybe I need to rest more. ;) Some memorable quotes:
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” - A.W. Tozer
“The ritual of biblical rest reminds us of our God and his story.”
Eric Liddell and Harold Abrams have two different takes on running: one to glorify God and the other to justify self. Liddell said, “When I run, I feel his pleasure.” Abrams is more like me, “I [have] ten lonely seconds to justify my whole existence.” While this has to do with running, it is a great mirror to rest. Am I pursuing God’s glory or my own?
Entering into a time of limbo, I already find myself rushing headfirst into whatever is next or necessary. What is necessary is to simply rest. Instead of waiting for tomorrow, I’ll start today.
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” - A.W. Tozer
“The ritual of biblical rest reminds us of our God and his story.”
Eric Liddell and Harold Abrams have two different takes on running: one to glorify God and the other to justify self. Liddell said, “When I run, I feel his pleasure.” Abrams is more like me, “I [have] ten lonely seconds to justify my whole existence.” While this has to do with running, it is a great mirror to rest. Am I pursuing God’s glory or my own?
Entering into a time of limbo, I already find myself rushing headfirst into whatever is next or necessary. What is necessary is to simply rest. Instead of waiting for tomorrow, I’ll start today.
March 2, 2025
I’m not the right audience for this book.
The author starts out admitting that he is not very good at rest. This is a charming appeal to his audience.
The author, frankly, rationalises rest as a religious duty as a way to bypass his conscience and thereby do the necessary shadow work to develop full maturity. He’s not really talking about rest, just maturity.
The idea that daddy approves and sponsors rest as a command is surely reassuring to some readers, but not to me. I did not find it edifying. I did not find reevaluating rest as a religious obligation to be fun. I think it sounds exhausting.
But, as I said, I am not the right audience for this book, because I actually value rest.
If you’re a highly conscientious and workaholic, Christian, you will benefit from and enjoy this book.
The author starts out admitting that he is not very good at rest. This is a charming appeal to his audience.
The author, frankly, rationalises rest as a religious duty as a way to bypass his conscience and thereby do the necessary shadow work to develop full maturity. He’s not really talking about rest, just maturity.
The idea that daddy approves and sponsors rest as a command is surely reassuring to some readers, but not to me. I did not find it edifying. I did not find reevaluating rest as a religious obligation to be fun. I think it sounds exhausting.
But, as I said, I am not the right audience for this book, because I actually value rest.
If you’re a highly conscientious and workaholic, Christian, you will benefit from and enjoy this book.
April 20, 2024
|| 4 ⭐️ ||
A thoughtful, biblical exploration of God’s intention in His design for rest and Sabbath. The author really emphasizes that rest is not all about self-indulgence, but rather is a gift and opportunity to draw nearer to our Creator, remember who He is and what He has done, and enjoy His presence and creation. A lot of good points were made and some interesting new perspectives offered that I will be pondering on.
A thoughtful, biblical exploration of God’s intention in His design for rest and Sabbath. The author really emphasizes that rest is not all about self-indulgence, but rather is a gift and opportunity to draw nearer to our Creator, remember who He is and what He has done, and enjoy His presence and creation. A lot of good points were made and some interesting new perspectives offered that I will be pondering on.
April 10, 2020
I really enjoyed & appreciated this little book. I knew nothing about it or the author when I picked it up, but I am so glad I did! The author really has a gift with words & there are so many great quotable statements all through this book. I underlined so much! 🙈 Definitely recommend this book!
March 19, 2019
Not the most elegantly written book, but worth reading for its content nonetheless. Short, to the point, and thought-provoking.
March 27, 2019
Great book! Not just a “how” to rest, but a “why” and not from a sabbatarian position!
February 8, 2022
Outstanding book, highly recommend
January 7, 2024
Rest = enjoy life and the fruit of our labor
Rest = communion with Christ
Rest = remembering that he alone is our savior (Psalm 4)
Rest = communion with Christ
Rest = remembering that he alone is our savior (Psalm 4)
May 20, 2021
Really short (which I value in this type of book) and a direct counter to the western ideas of identity in work. Very helpful to read through and to consider. Also helpful in tying the ideas of rest and remembrance together. Definitely recommend.
June 5, 2025
easy to read, read during my 2-week vacation and break from ministry. refreshin read. recommended by one of my pastors during our annual church camp last month.
October 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, it was honest, it was thorough and it was hopeful. Instead of walking away feeling condemned about not sabbathing well, I felt compelled to draw closer to God and to seek his rest while also creating space in my life for times of rest. I truly appreciated his honesty and real life examples. I highly recommend this to anyone because I think the majority of us are not good at rest.
April 25, 2019
"All work and no rest makes Christians idiots - forgetful children who work like slaves, forgetting that their Father owns the world and they get to inherit it" (133).
Adam Mabry has written this book out of his personal experience of being an idiot, and his desire for us to aim for something better. He urges us to resist the cultural demand to find our identity in doing more, and invites us into daily, weekly, and annual patterns of rest, as we enjoy being in the time-temple with God.
Yet, this is not a "how-to" instruction manual, and Mabry is not a Sabbatarian. His focus is on "Why" we should rest, and herein are important pointers for everyone who loves to be busy. Rest allows remembering - "so you can remember who you are, whose you are, and the purpose for which you've been made to be his" (57). Rest is resistance - resisting the "restless service of idols" (75). Rest restores relationships - it's "the oxygen those relationships require to live and to grow" (82). And rest brings reward - which we can enjoy because "He holds the world together by the word of his power, and he's not going to fall off his throne if you press pause" (109). Amen!
My one quibble - I appreciate Mabry's emphasis on "Why" rather than "How," but I would have valued something about the "What." What is rest? This book doesn't give a clear answer, to my eyes at least. Mabry seems to expect me to apply this to my daily prayers, and to times of spiritual reflection, and to my church's corporate worship, and to my day off, and to family time, and to my hobbies, and to naps... But how does this all fit together? What does rest mean in each case, and do the same principles apply? There's a lot of good stuff here, but I felt some loose ends too.
I'll leave you with this thought:
"To suffer with overworked bodies and underdeveloped souls in the golden years of our lives seems like an irony and a tragedy the likes of which makes hell chuckle and heaven mourn" (127).
Adam Mabry has written this book out of his personal experience of being an idiot, and his desire for us to aim for something better. He urges us to resist the cultural demand to find our identity in doing more, and invites us into daily, weekly, and annual patterns of rest, as we enjoy being in the time-temple with God.
Yet, this is not a "how-to" instruction manual, and Mabry is not a Sabbatarian. His focus is on "Why" we should rest, and herein are important pointers for everyone who loves to be busy. Rest allows remembering - "so you can remember who you are, whose you are, and the purpose for which you've been made to be his" (57). Rest is resistance - resisting the "restless service of idols" (75). Rest restores relationships - it's "the oxygen those relationships require to live and to grow" (82). And rest brings reward - which we can enjoy because "He holds the world together by the word of his power, and he's not going to fall off his throne if you press pause" (109). Amen!
My one quibble - I appreciate Mabry's emphasis on "Why" rather than "How," but I would have valued something about the "What." What is rest? This book doesn't give a clear answer, to my eyes at least. Mabry seems to expect me to apply this to my daily prayers, and to times of spiritual reflection, and to my church's corporate worship, and to my day off, and to family time, and to my hobbies, and to naps... But how does this all fit together? What does rest mean in each case, and do the same principles apply? There's a lot of good stuff here, but I felt some loose ends too.
I'll leave you with this thought:
"To suffer with overworked bodies and underdeveloped souls in the golden years of our lives seems like an irony and a tragedy the likes of which makes hell chuckle and heaven mourn" (127).
November 24, 2020
Overall I think this was a poor book and therefore I would not recommend it. Yet, as with many books, there were positive and negative aspects.
Positives
1. The book encourages reflection and the Christian discipline of self-examination, causing me to ask myself valuable and convicting questions, such as Is my heart set on meeting this deadline, pleasing these people, getting to that destination? Or am I resting in the knowledge of God's kingship? Do I trust God enough to rest? Do I trust that his purposes are for my good?
2. This book helps the reader to see rest as an act of faith and gratitude to God, and an opportunity to enjoy communion with him in the present time.
Negatives
1. From the first chapter to the final chapter, the majority of bible passages quoted in the book are used in a way that ignores the context, in order to make points the texts are not addressing. Therefore, more often than not, the author does not show an understanding of the point being made in the quote. When a Christian book starts in this way, it is a real killer because it causes the reader who becomes aware of this to look out for more poor handling of the bible for the rest of the book. Christian writers must handle the Scriptures respectfully and fairly. When they do not, they may teach the readers their bad habits. I could not recommend this book to immature Christians for this key reason.
2. There is a frequent confusion and interchanging of physical rest/taking breaks with the existential rest (eg. of Matthew 11:28), rest from chasing the unattainable goal of law adherence in order to attain salvation, the rest Christ provides, namely the ultimate rest of eternity with him. They are not the same, though appreciation of the latter does lead to the former.
3. The frequent confusion and interchanging of the biblical concept of keeping the Sabbath with the concept of having regular personal periods of rest or a weekly day off in honour of God, without biblical argumentation. Mabry applies specific teaching on the Sabbath in the bible to personal, common sense rest periods, using phrases such as "Who is Lord of my Sabbath", "Make Jesus Lord of your rest" when explaining Jesus' words "The son of man is Lord of the Sabbath". The bible doesn't refer to Sabbath in this anthropocentric way - it is eisegesis to read "my Sabbath" into Exodus 20 and other passages that in context are referring to the Sabbath.
4. Related to Negative 3, Mabry does not explicitly state his understanding of what the Sabbath is and its relevance to Christians today until towards the end of the book, where he provides the rationale behind his view, as though it is unimportant because Christians can generally agree on his primary subject matter and handling of the Scriptures. Yet, in reality, his understanding of Sabbath (ie. his confusion of the Sabbath with the common sense discipline of having regular personal breaks - what he calls resting, he could have easily called "sabbathing", because that was often how he used the word Sabbath) was implied throughout the book.
5. A relatively small gripe was the excessive use of one-sentence paragraphs. Truth-bombs. Soundbite-style phrases. But these brief phrases often seemed to be shallow and/or only employed to restate a point made earlier in a more impressive way.
Positives
1. The book encourages reflection and the Christian discipline of self-examination, causing me to ask myself valuable and convicting questions, such as Is my heart set on meeting this deadline, pleasing these people, getting to that destination? Or am I resting in the knowledge of God's kingship? Do I trust God enough to rest? Do I trust that his purposes are for my good?
2. This book helps the reader to see rest as an act of faith and gratitude to God, and an opportunity to enjoy communion with him in the present time.
Negatives
1. From the first chapter to the final chapter, the majority of bible passages quoted in the book are used in a way that ignores the context, in order to make points the texts are not addressing. Therefore, more often than not, the author does not show an understanding of the point being made in the quote. When a Christian book starts in this way, it is a real killer because it causes the reader who becomes aware of this to look out for more poor handling of the bible for the rest of the book. Christian writers must handle the Scriptures respectfully and fairly. When they do not, they may teach the readers their bad habits. I could not recommend this book to immature Christians for this key reason.
2. There is a frequent confusion and interchanging of physical rest/taking breaks with the existential rest (eg. of Matthew 11:28), rest from chasing the unattainable goal of law adherence in order to attain salvation, the rest Christ provides, namely the ultimate rest of eternity with him. They are not the same, though appreciation of the latter does lead to the former.
3. The frequent confusion and interchanging of the biblical concept of keeping the Sabbath with the concept of having regular personal periods of rest or a weekly day off in honour of God, without biblical argumentation. Mabry applies specific teaching on the Sabbath in the bible to personal, common sense rest periods, using phrases such as "Who is Lord of my Sabbath", "Make Jesus Lord of your rest" when explaining Jesus' words "The son of man is Lord of the Sabbath". The bible doesn't refer to Sabbath in this anthropocentric way - it is eisegesis to read "my Sabbath" into Exodus 20 and other passages that in context are referring to the Sabbath.
4. Related to Negative 3, Mabry does not explicitly state his understanding of what the Sabbath is and its relevance to Christians today until towards the end of the book, where he provides the rationale behind his view, as though it is unimportant because Christians can generally agree on his primary subject matter and handling of the Scriptures. Yet, in reality, his understanding of Sabbath (ie. his confusion of the Sabbath with the common sense discipline of having regular personal breaks - what he calls resting, he could have easily called "sabbathing", because that was often how he used the word Sabbath) was implied throughout the book.
5. A relatively small gripe was the excessive use of one-sentence paragraphs. Truth-bombs. Soundbite-style phrases. But these brief phrases often seemed to be shallow and/or only employed to restate a point made earlier in a more impressive way.
June 12, 2021
Adam Mabry has addressed an urgent issue and addressed it personally and with passion.
He shares his own journey to awareness of its importance and, with great honesty, the factors that lead to his own crisis. Most of us will not be coming from the same starting point.
He lays down some principles to undergird the case for rest and for the approach to rest.
He is delightfully non-prescriptive in detail but appropriately firm in conviction.
So why do I only award three stars?
His is a writing style that does not enthuse me. It is so like a series of sound bites. It makes for an easy read but, for me at least, not for a satisfying read.
I have read two other books on this subject in the last year - John Mark Comer "The ruthless elimination of hurry" and Tim Chester "The busy Christian's guide to busyness". I found both more satisfying for me personally and especially Tim Chester's for its approach better matches my cultural background.
I was less happy with the omission of wider expression of recreation - reading was Christian books and music was worship music. This is unhelpful and unhealthily narrow.
All three books are addressing an important issue for our societies and for us as Christians. Each book will appeal better to different readers and together offer options.
In my cultural setting I would, in terms of recommendation, order them Chester, Comer and Mabry.
He shares his own journey to awareness of its importance and, with great honesty, the factors that lead to his own crisis. Most of us will not be coming from the same starting point.
He lays down some principles to undergird the case for rest and for the approach to rest.
He is delightfully non-prescriptive in detail but appropriately firm in conviction.
So why do I only award three stars?
His is a writing style that does not enthuse me. It is so like a series of sound bites. It makes for an easy read but, for me at least, not for a satisfying read.
I have read two other books on this subject in the last year - John Mark Comer "The ruthless elimination of hurry" and Tim Chester "The busy Christian's guide to busyness". I found both more satisfying for me personally and especially Tim Chester's for its approach better matches my cultural background.
I was less happy with the omission of wider expression of recreation - reading was Christian books and music was worship music. This is unhelpful and unhealthily narrow.
All three books are addressing an important issue for our societies and for us as Christians. Each book will appeal better to different readers and together offer options.
In my cultural setting I would, in terms of recommendation, order them Chester, Comer and Mabry.
July 12, 2023
The Art of Rest dares to explore a subject that is little understood by western Christians: the biblical idea of rest. In a world of over-filled calendars and bursting-at-the-seems schedules, Adam Mabry offers a perspective that is much needed and sorely lacking.
As someone who operates as a Big Time Doer, I needed Mabry's thoughts. Like most Americans, I can tend to think that if you are busy then you are important. So, the busier, the better! Alas, Scripture sets out a different pattern of life - a blessed rhythm weaving in hard work and purposeful rest. Mabry roots his argumentation in the truth of Scripture. He wants the reader to see that "Rest is the privilege of sons, but only the dream of slaves" (104).
This book is a must-read for, well, anyone who is American. I think American society is so rife with poorly defined thinking on rest that this book is helpful to us all. It is a quick read that will leave you rethinking all of those over-commitments that vex your calendar. I am still pondering how to better implement his suggestions, as I see a real need in my own life to follow the biblical pattern of rest and hard work. The Art of Rest is a great roadmap on that journey!
As someone who operates as a Big Time Doer, I needed Mabry's thoughts. Like most Americans, I can tend to think that if you are busy then you are important. So, the busier, the better! Alas, Scripture sets out a different pattern of life - a blessed rhythm weaving in hard work and purposeful rest. Mabry roots his argumentation in the truth of Scripture. He wants the reader to see that "Rest is the privilege of sons, but only the dream of slaves" (104).
This book is a must-read for, well, anyone who is American. I think American society is so rife with poorly defined thinking on rest that this book is helpful to us all. It is a quick read that will leave you rethinking all of those over-commitments that vex your calendar. I am still pondering how to better implement his suggestions, as I see a real need in my own life to follow the biblical pattern of rest and hard work. The Art of Rest is a great roadmap on that journey!
May 20, 2022
Rest, restorative rest. We all crave it and need it but what is true rest? This book examines the art of rest. It's not a book slamming you for not being in church every Sunday morning. It's instead a book of reflective chapters about how you live your daily life; work, family, recreation, hobbies. Each of these can be good but.When we become a slave to work, denying ourselves restorative time for fun, saying no to the spouse or children due to overwork, we damage our spirits, relationships and our health, both physically and emotionally. I journaled through this book. I spent some time in prayer as the occasion arose for me to deal with my own personal experience. Convicting and restorative, this book is one I highly recommend to anyone with a young family, to anyone with service ministry or charity work, to anyone chasing the paycheck. Why rest? How to rest well is well learned.
October 24, 2020
Adam Mabry does an excellent job of making you check yourself and your work/rest balance. This is such a great book to get started in the art of resting and to do it with the Father.
One of my favourite quotes from the book (which coincidentally sums up how Pastor Adam makes you feel about work and rest by the end): “All work and no rest makes Christian idiots - forgetful children who work like slaves, forgetting that their Father owns the world and they get to inherit it.”
The Art of Rest is not just about having a day off but about pausing, stopping to remember God’s grace even if that’s only for an hour a day or a whole day a week.
Would recommend this to anyone searching for rest in a busy and hurried world.
One of my favourite quotes from the book (which coincidentally sums up how Pastor Adam makes you feel about work and rest by the end): “All work and no rest makes Christian idiots - forgetful children who work like slaves, forgetting that their Father owns the world and they get to inherit it.”
The Art of Rest is not just about having a day off but about pausing, stopping to remember God’s grace even if that’s only for an hour a day or a whole day a week.
Would recommend this to anyone searching for rest in a busy and hurried world.
November 10, 2018
Rest - something we all crave and simultaneously fight against - is handled with wisdom in this short book. The author offers nothing “new”, as true wisdom never is new, however, he presents it simply and helpfully to make it accessible. The case is strongly built as to why rest is necessary, desirable, and designed by God for our good. He humbly gives illustrations, as one who struggles to rest, and thoughtfully exhorts the reader to start stopping now. I have read many books in busyness and the need for sabbath rhythms - this one is concise and poignantly practical. I highly recommend reading it, but mostly, doing it!
September 14, 2022
3.5 stars. I totally get the need for rest and the author totally convinced me that I don’t do it well. He also inspired me to do something about it. However, I think the Sabbath rest in the Bible is more about stopping from our daily grind to worship the Lord. I think we can do that through the things the author puts out there, but I would have loved more about making much of God in this time of rest, whether by enjoying tasty food (which God provides), reading a good book (God provided the creativity behind it), and so on. I think if the author had made that connection this book would have been dynamite! But as it is I was blessed to read it but longed for more.
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