God built a rhythm of work and rest into creation, and that includes us. Leviticus 23:3 shows us that the godly dad trusts His pattern instead of hustling harder.

#1 Work for six days. “Six days shall work be done…” God is not against work. He designed it. You follow God when you work hard and provide for your family. But work isn’t meant to be all you do.

The six set days for work show us that work has boundaries. Your identity should not be based on your work performance. The godly dad works hard, but he also knows when to stop.

#2 Rest on the seventh day. “…but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation.” God gave us a rest day not because He was tired, but because we get tired. Rest isn’t laziness; it’s worship. The Sabbath reminds us that God rules and we don’t.

Set aside time to worship, slow down, and be present with family; it’ll give you more life than working through the weekend. Your children don’t just need a hardworking father; they need a dad who models trust and dependence on God.

#3 Trust God enough to repeat this. “You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.” God owns your life. He should own your calendar. Not working takes more faith than working longer hours.

If you keep working, you only show that you believe everything depends on you. Resting reminds us that God is the One who handles things. The dad who rests in God shows his kids that life is about more than accomplishing another task. It’s about walking with Him.

How to Be a Christian Dad: A dad who provides, protects, and shows up is doing something good. But Scripture describes a role that goes much further than that.

Game Ready Dad – How To Build a Winning Fatherhood Offense: This week, Lawson and I talked about the difference between a dad who reacts and a dad who leads on purpose. If you have been feeling like fatherhood is happening to you instead of through you, this episode is for you.

“If we do not allow for a rhythm of rest in our overly busy lives, illness becomes our Sabbath—our pneumonia, our cancer, our heart attack, our accidents create Sabbath for us.” —Wayne Muller

God should be in control of your time. Decide before He does, that for one day, or even a half day, to intentionally slow down. Put away work, silence distractions, and make space to worship, enjoy your family, and simply be present with God.

Sabbath is not necessarily about adding a nap to your Sunday, though that’s not a bad thing. It’s about trusting God enough to slow down and remember that He is the One who has the world in His hands, not you. Let your kids see that rest is not weakness but real faith.

God never asked you to carry everything. The godly dad works hard, but he also trusts God enough to stop.

Kent Evans
Executive Director at Manhood Journey

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Tell me if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.