A sabbath year has always intrigued me. I love the idea of a bountiful harvest after a year of rest, but I have never tried to put it into practice.
Today I learned about schmita, the Jewish term for Sabbath year. Schmita means to release. My breath caught when I read that definition. Not only can you rest in God, it can be a year of release to God1.
Then I looked up the date for the next schmita and my eyes started welling up. Can you believe that September 7, 2021, this year was the beginning schmita?
God is so good and his timing is perfect. A year ago I began the hard work of introspection with God, where he brought awareness of the behaviors and thought patterns I need to release.
All those obstacles that come between God and I, will be released to him.
Consider this my early New Years Resolution,
only this time it is God blessed and God led.
Please do not misunderstand me, every day of my life I will be on alert for obstacles. I will release those obstacles to God as I turn my full focus back on him. That work will never stop for me.
This year of release is finding a rhythm, by becoming more aware of the Holy Spirit’s work within me, and as a result growing stronger in my relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit will guide my daily rhythm. Old habits die hard. My prayer is for this year of release to bring about change. A change that will strengthen my foundation in God, to prepare me for where ever God leads until the next shmita.
Join me, see where God leads you in this year of rest and release. Bountiful harvest happens when your heart is aligned with God’s. Take this year to practice releasing everything that is not from God to fully align your heart with his.
Change is hard, but it is so so good when you get to experience the results God has for you on the other side. Three guarantees: suffering will not be absent but his peace will be with you; God will use it for his good; the continual results will be better than you could ever imagine. - JJ
Shmita means to release. Originally the Sabbath year was a time for farmers to give their land rest and to release any debts fellow believers had incurred. It was a ‘reset’ and relied on faith in God to provide.
The idea of ‘release to God’ is not following these original requests. This is my own interpretation, not the Bible’s. This is my imperfect journey towards a perfect God.