Embracing Resistance as a Sign of Growth. I’ll be honest—I felt like a failure this week. My usual wind-down into Sabbath, which typically begins at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, slipped all the way to 7:30 p.m. It wasn’t until my son Joshua—home for Spring Break—called out, “We’re ready for dinner,” that I looked up and realized how much time had passed.
I had lost track. What I thought was maybe an hour past my Sabbath start had somehow become over four hours. I had been so busy trying to clear my task list that I completely missed the moment of transition into Sabbath.
But isn’t that how it usually goes?
It’s not a coincidence that the very week we begin the Sabbath practice, I felt the strongest pull away from it. Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace resistance to my spiritual practices as something more than just frustration. I’ve come to see it as a sign—a reminder that when we step toward spiritual growth, the enemy takes notice.
Resistance is often confirmation that I’m on the right track. And rather than discouraging me, it emboldens my faith.
Because here’s the truth: spiritual growth is a threat to the enemy—but a victory for the soul.
The Gift of a Winddown to Sabbath. I’ve come to deeply appreciate the “sundown to sundown” rhythm of the Sabbath. As I’ve shared before, I practice my Sabbath from 3:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and after nearly a year of living in this rhythm, here’s what I’ve learned:
The start of Sabbath is best understood as a winddown period. It’s not an abrupt stop, but a gradual slowing—a time to bring closure to the day, to slowly lower the RPMs of my life.
When I’m running at high speed, I’ve found that I can’t just flip a switch and rest. Sabbath begins with a deceleration, not a halt. And when I honor this gentle entry, I find that Tuesday mornings feel truly sacred—a space filled with stillness, solitude, and clarity. With no meetings or tasks waiting, I’m able to meet the day not with pressure, but with presence.
This rhythm has become a gift: a way to let go, breathe deep, and receive the fullness of God’s rest. This is my prayer for you to also experience.
“Be ready” – A Call to Obedience in the Present. On January 7, 2025, I journaled a strong leading from the LORD: “Be ready.” It came with a deep sense of urgency—a call to action that I sensed was about preparation for something yet to be revealed. At the time, it remained a mystery.
Then, exactly 70 days later, on March 18, while reading Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, I came across this passage that brought new clarity. Reflecting on Matthew 24:44,
“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him,”
Grudem writes that “being ready” means faithfully obeying Christ in the present, fully engaged in whatever work He has called us to do.
This deeply resonated with what I sensed back in January. I internalized it this way:
This is not a call to hunker down, to isolate, or to focus solely on self-preservation—stockpiling, securing, or protecting our own. Instead, this is a call to obedience now—to be faithful today, to practice what Jesus has taught us, and to remain spiritually alert and engaged.
I may not yet know exactly what “game” I’m being called into or when I’ll be asked to step off the bench—but I must practice now. I must lean into the spiritual disciplines of Jesus so that when the moment comes, I will be ready to do whatever He calls me to do—not for my sake, but for the sake of others.
To be ready is to be faithful. Denying myself.
To be ready is to practice. Surrendering fully.
To be ready is to live with purpose now. Following daily.