“Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last.” Ah yes, wise words spoken by the 20th century sages, Simon and Garfunkel. Some days I feel like I need to put those lyrics on a Post-it note and stick it to my forehead. Before we start kicking down the cobblestones, we need to recognize that learning to slow down in a world fueled by the expectation of incessant busyness is one of the most difficult things to do. It definitely is for me, and I don’t think I’m alone in that struggle.
After turning 50 this past fall, I felt the Lord taking me into a season of rest and recovery. If you’re a Bible geek and enjoy doing research on the significance of events and numbers in the Bible, you will find that the 50th year was called the year of Jubilee. This was the sabbatical year after seven times seven years where both the people and the land were called to rest.
Not unlike those ancient times, I have seen God remove things from my life this year in order for me to focus on rest. Notice that HE removed these things because He knows it is very hard for me to say “no”, and I’m not wired to sit still very long. That’s exactly why He’s hitting me between the eyes with this one. Slow down, Jamie.
Great, this all sounds good, God, but how in tarnation do I actually do that? Like seriously, I have a hard time sitting and reading a book because that load of laundry reeaalllly needs to be switched out, I have to prepare for that one meeting, and that baseboard at the far side of the room is looking pretty darn dusty. Thankfully, the Bible is true and when it says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you,” it’s not kidding.
So I did. In my quiet time one morning I asked the Lord, “Jesus, what does it look like to slow down? Because I can’t sit on my couch and eat bonbons all day. I have an active family and responsibilities that I need to attend to. How can I be obedient to what you’re calling me to do and not turn into a useless slobbering couch potato?” And just like that, He gave me three very specific things to do to actively practice slowing down all while still being productive.
Here they are:
DON’T RUN THROUGH LIFE
This one felt personal. I have a bad habit of speed walking EVERYWHERE. I’m always in a hurry trying to get everything done in a timely manner. Often I’m heading somewhere and I’m not late by any means, but I’m still walking really fast. The Lord reminded me that Jesus never ran. Well, maybe He liked to get a quick 5K in before synagogue once in a while (for my runners out there), but from what I know, the Bible only talks about Jesus walking places. He’s never in a hurry. He knew His purpose was to “be about my father’s business.” (Luke 2:49)
This is one I have to actively be aware of and consistently check myself on. When I begin to rush, especially for no reason, I have to tell myself to breathe, walk slower, and move with intentionality and calmness. Ya’ll, this may sound crazy to you, and you probably think I’m a little wack, but I challenge you to take an honest look at how you physically move throughout the day. Are you always in a hurry, and is your sympathetic system in fight-or-flight mode all day long? If so, this one might be a two-by-four upside the head for you, like it was for me.
SEE WHAT IS AROUND YOU
In other words, be observant in the moment. Slowing down looks like taking the time to see all the things around you. Notice God’s beautiful creation in the birds, trees, and clouds. When was the last time you stopped and really looked at a tree? I’m not going to tell you to go hug it, that would be weird, but the Bible clearly says that creation speaks! Say what? Psalm 19:1-4 says:
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
I don’t know about you, but I want to “hear” what God is saying through His creation. The obvious thing creation is saying is that there is a creator God, but what about those subtle things that He wants to teach you that are only for you? If we don’t stop and really SEE the world around us, what are we missing?
Don’t forget about slowing down to see people too. Jesus was the epitome of a “people person”. He really saw people. There was no quick glance at a person as He checked His watch to make sure He wasn’t late for that Sermon on the Mount thingy. He singled out people in crowds. He saw into their hearts and their souls, and met their basic needs. What would happen if we slowed down enough to notice if someone needed a word of encouragement or even a simple smile?
BE WILLNG TO FLEX YOUR PLANS TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT’S LEADING
This one is interesting because it’s not what I would typically think of when I’m trying to slow down, but it makes perfect sense. God wants us to be flexible with our time. When we are rushing and have our schedules so super packed, there is no room for flexibility. It’s like traveling on a high-speed train. Unless you’re Ethan Hawke or Indiana Jones, there’s no getting off or changing plans unless you’re okay with being the train version of roadkill.
However, being more conscious of your lifestyle and managing your time in a way that feels more like a multi-stop scenic train journey, can really help you “slow down.” Being sensitive to the Lord’s leading and receptive to changing your plans in an instant, if the Holy Spirit says so, is important. It might feel very out of your comfort zone, and there may be a day when the Lord says, “I want you to lay on your couch and close your eyes for 20 minutes.” Wait, are you sure about that God? Do you see how much I have to get done today? But here’s the beautiful thing. That may be exactly what you need to refuel your body so you CAN accomplish those things you need to do. And only God knows that.
Your plan to run errands all day might be usurped by God telling you to get coffee with that friend that desperately needs someone to talk to. Being flexible with your plans opens up opportunities that can only happen when you allow God access to your Google calendar.
After I got the download of these three things, I was reminded of a well-known story in the Bible that confirmed each one. In Mark chapter 5, beginning with verse 22, Jesus is in the middle of a large crowd pressing in to see him. A synagogue leader, Jairus, comes to Jesus and falls at His feet pleading for Jesus to come and heal his sick daughter. Jesus agrees, begins walking with him and then stops to address a woman suffering from a bleeding disorder. He spends some time healing and affirming her. While He is still speaking to her they get word that the daughter has died. He continues to Jarius’ house and proceeds to raise the daughter from the dead!
As I studied this story, I clearly saw all three of these “slow down” concepts.
1. Don’t run through life: Both when Jarius first approached Jesus with this urgent news, and after they were told the daughter had died, Jesus never took off in a panicked sprint to immediately handle the situation.
2. See what is around you: In the middle of this urgent crisis, Jesus SAW the woman who needed Him in that moment. He could have passed by her and continued to push through the crowd, but He chose to give her personal attention and a decent amount of it.
3. Be willing to flex your plans: This was a perfect example of flexing plans. Jesus had places to go, people to see (ie: Jarius’ daughter), but He stopped, changed His plans and addressed the woman right then. He didn’t say, “Hang on, ma’am, I have to save a life first, and then I’ll be back. Take a number while you wait.” No, He took care of her immediately, and by doing that was given an opportunity to perform an even bigger miracle of raising a girl from the dead instead of simply healing her.
Do you need to slow down? Personally, I want to be more like Jesus, and I know that I will never be perfect like Him, but if there are things I can do to emulate His life and patterns more, then I’m all in. Not only that, but slowing down is better for our physical and mental health too, and who doesn’t want a little more peace and vitality in their lives? I’m a firm “Oooh me!” over here.
