One pattern I hold extremely sacred during my time on the mission field is the way free time catapults me, and the people I’m living with, into rhythms we would otherwise “not have enough time for”. As my squad walks in the gate, coming home from ministry each day, I know in the next 10 minutes many of them will be laying in their hammocks and reading their bible. Or sitting in the grass while having deep conversation. Or writing in their journals. Or sitting around the table and eating a meal together, even if it’s cereal.
These are practices that can often fall of the edge of our priority list if we aren’t careful enough in busy, everyday life.
Truth is— we don’t have enough time to be in a hurry.
One of my all time favorite battle tactics against the enemy “perfection” is finger painting. I’ve found the messiness destroys patterns of perfection and performance in all areas of my life if I spend time getting acrylic paint all over my hands and sketch book. It seems simple and maybe you’re thinking, “why would I spend my time doing that?” or “that’s not for me — I’m not creative”. But, over the past 2 years of inviting people into finger painting, I’ve learned people start to look more like their true selves when they step back into simple and restful, yet stretching and messy moments.
Painting often makes people coward back into safety because they know deep down control will be ripped from their clenched, white knuckles. Allergic to risk.
But, imagine if what you fear the most is what your soul needs to thrive.
When I get in a hurry, I realize quickly that my priorities get out of whack, and I can’t afford that. Life moves fast (as Ferris Bueller would say) and I gained true freedom when I decided that I wanted to live a life threaded by slow and deep moments. Hence, finger painting.
I’ve had so much fun inviting the 45 18-20 year olds I’m living with into small moments of finger painting. The space quickly gets filled with laughter and paint on the table and most importantly, perfection must get left at the door. Who has ever been fulfilled by chasing perfection? Not me, that’s for sure.
So if you’re reading this, I encourage you to take a moment and think about the last time you stepped outside of comfort for the sake of you. Go buy the book you’ve been thinking about. Have the conversation that you know will heal your heart. Let the people around you know what you need. Ask good questions. Buy some $2 acrylic paints from Wal-Mart and a sketch book.
Risk. You’re worth it. And I can say in full confidence- you have the time.
You don’t have to be on the mission field to do this. Take the hour you spend on facebook after work or before bed to do what genuinely makes you happy. Invite the people you love in. Live in gratefulness.
Live life slow and deep— look like a fool. There’s too much to lose to be chasing perfection and performance. I can tell you now, it’s the last way of living that will fulfill you.
