About four years ago during lent season, I made the commitment to a 6am bible study with some professors and faculty members at my university. We gathered together once a week and discussed different spiritual disciplines.
One of those early mornings, where I’m sure I was late to the meeting, flustered about the time, wishing I was still in bed, I was introduced to the concept of “SLOWING”.
Although the struggle is so very real when it comes to implementing this discipline in my life, I have recently felt compelled to make it a practice.
This is coming from the person who schedules coffee dates back to back during any free moment. I like being busy, rushing from place to place and maximizing my free time in order to fit everything in.
I love crossing things off my to-do lists… and making to-do lists. I know, I’m a riot.
But chasing after the feeling of accomplishment and worshipping a busy schedule distracts me from spending time with Christ and pulls me into a life that glorifies movement instead of meditation.
Through it all, my intimacy with Christ is sacrificed.
Talking about God with a friend in a coffee shop does not necessarily make me closer to God.
Being a part of my church and involved in leadership does not automatically make me closer to God.
Same goes for the race.
Spending 11 months abroad serving the poor and telling people about Jesus will not instantly make me any closer to God.
Setting aside time to pray, write, meditate, and sit in His presence makes me closer to Him.
The definition that pops up for “slow” is “Taking a long time to perform a specified action; lasting or taking a long time; not allowing or intended for fast travel”.
When I reflect on my relationship with Christ and the growth I desire, I, like most people want rapid and speedy change. I want instant gratification, sudden connection and fast results. I want to know His will, dreams, and visions for my life.
I want it written out or emailed to me with “how to” steps, preferably highlighted.
But in the end, that is my way of gaining control. And without really noticing it, I have turned Christ into a gambling machine, where I invest a small amount, expecting a high reward in return.
God doesn’t want us to simply follow his commandments of love and send up prayers as we rush through our days, living action filled but spiritually mundane lives.
He wants depth, truth, and spiritual transformation.
He wants us to be less engrossed in social affairs and more absorbed in His affairs.
Synonyms for “slowing” are “Leisurely, steady, time consuming, lengthy, gradual, drawn-out, prolonged.”
This is the relationship God wants with me, with us. He wants more than a morning devo. He wants a lifetime. Years to shape, sculpt, and build us into the people He originally created us to be.
Gradually. Steadily.
When I reflect on the times I have felt Christ the most, it has been the ordinary, slow moments of life; ones that seem unoriginal or boring. But those are the moments free from distraction and commotion, allowing me to hear Him speak loud and clear.
Busy-ness is a glorification in my life that needs to be put aside.
By no means am I saying the act of rushing is a bad thing. But living life as a sprint instead of marathon does not give us the time needed to connect us to the Kingdom.
It distracts us.
Cultivating the art of stillness and solitude is what God wants from us.
How can we even start to understand Him when our only view of Christ consists of quick prayers, Sunday morning sermons, and pinning inspiring bible verses on Pinterest?
I feel that the nudge we have to simplify our lives and slow down is God asking us to spend more time with him so we can walk profoundly deeper waters.
So this is the challenge I am stepping into, and encourage you to as well.
Slow down.
Step away from the rush of life. Learn to be still and listen.
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14
