The Daily CHEW™
CHEW on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
This past Sunday, after a week of back-to-back client calls and family logistics, I caught myself checking emails during what was supposed to be rest time. As a Washington Heights-raised, driven Dominican consultant who loves achievement, I struggle with the guilt that comes when I’m not “producing.” But sitting in my Atlanta living room, watching my family relax, I felt that familiar ache—longing for rest that actually restores, not just recovery time before the next sprint.
Maybe you know this tension well—you’ve earned a break, but instead of feeling grateful and refreshed, you feel restless or guilty for not being productive. Maybe your Sabbath feels more like catching up on chores than encountering God. Maybe you long for the kind of rest that doesn’t just recharge your body, but renews your soul and reminds you who you really are.
You’re not alone. High-performing Christians often struggle with rest because we’ve been trained to equate worth with output. But your soul craves more than efficiency—it longs for the kind of Sabbath that anchors you in God’s love, not your accomplishments.
Here’s the Gospel truth: Rest isn’t earned by your productivity—it’s given by God’s grace. Your worth isn’t determined by what you produce, but by whose you are. The Sabbath isn’t just about stopping work; it’s about remembering that God’s love for you is constant, whether you’re achieving or simply being.
Self-improvement strategies for “better rest” miss the point. Performance mentality can’t create true Sabbath. But when God acts in our rest, He transforms it from recovery time into worship time—a celebration of His provision, presence, and unfailing love.
Join me. Try this now. Set aside your to-do lists and guilt, and spend these next few minutes resting in God’s goodness through the Sabbath Gratitude CHEW.
The Sabbath Gratitude CHEW (10 minutes):
Take three deep breaths—remembering God’s love surrounds you, right now, in this moment of rest.
Adore: “Father, thank you for giving us eternal rest in yourself. You are wise and perfect in every way.”
Confess: “What am I actually feeling as I try to rest? What’s under the surface?”
(Name it honestly: guilt for not working, anxiety about tomorrow, gratitude, exhaustion, restlessness. Be real with God about your heart in this moment.)
Hear: “What truth or promise from God do I most need as I rest?”
- “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
- “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
- “And on the seventh day God finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.” (Genesis 2:2)
Exchange: If this Gospel truth is real, how does it shift my heart about rest and gratitude?
“If I really believed God’s love delights in me—not just my productivity—how would that change my ability to rest, my gratitude for this week, or my trust in His provision?”
I would exchange _____ for _____.
(Example: “I would exchange my guilt about resting for gratitude that God invites me to pause and receive His love.”)
Walk: What’s one way I’ll receive God’s love and express gratitude in this Sabbath moment?
(This might be: writing down three specific ways you saw God’s faithfulness this week, calling someone to thank them, taking a walk and praising God for creation, or simply sitting in silence and receiving His presence.)
Thanksgiving & Worship:
Thank God specifically for His faithfulness this past week—name 3-5 concrete blessings, both big and small. End by refocusing your heart on God’s goodness toward you, celebrating His love that never depends on your performance.
Remember: Sabbath isn’t another task to master—it’s a gift to receive. Every moment you pause to rest in God’s love rather than your own striving is a victory. God delights in your presence with Him, not your perfect execution of rest.
CHEW On This™
If I really believed God’s love is so abundant that He invites me to stop working and simply receive His goodness, how would that change my relationship with rest, my gratitude for His provision, or my trust in His care for tomorrow?
Practice the Sabbath Gratitude CHEW weekly, ideally on your Sabbath day. The CHEW system works best when practiced in community. Consider sharing this rhythm with your family, making gratitude and rest a shared practice. Share what changes when you create consistent rhythms for moving God’s love from head to heart—especially in those moments when you’re tempted to equate your worth with your work.
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Ready for lasting transformation?
Learn how to make CHEWing a daily rhythm. Our hope is that everyone can learn to CHEW without ever needing to pay us for help.
If you have a question about the CHEW practice or hit a roadblock you can’t solve, we’re happy to help with quick guidance. Reach out anytime at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help you keep growing!
With you on the journey,
Ryan
CHEW on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
Select Resources
- What Are Core Beliefs? The Quiet Engine Behind Growth, Healing & Hope
- SALVES: Discovering and Redeeming the Core Drivers of Every Heart
- When Fine Becomes the Most Expensive Lie in Leadership
- Scripture for Common Struggles & Growth
- God’s Love: The Surprising Source of Sustainable Discipline and Real Change
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