Building in Time to Slow Down
I recently took a new type of self-assessment that gave me feedback on my personality design. One of the categories I scored high in was “Hyper Achiever”. This pretty much means I have a bend to strive to do well in areas of my life and to look for new challenges. In reality, it also is a great description of the speed at which I am tempted to get through life: hyper speed.
Have you ever driven down a street or in a parking lot and then unexpectedly come upon a speed bump? It requires that you slow down your vehicle, put on the brakes as you go over the bump and make sure you avoid doing any damage to your vehicle’s underside. The purpose of speedbumps is to slow down traffic and “give people and cars time to react safely to one another”.
When I search the Scriptures, I don’t see a theme of “operate at warp speed” or “hustle”. Instead, the Psalmist writes “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices” (Psalm 37:7) and “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10).
God asks us to “be still”. This is counter to the culture in which we live. Be still? Don’t you have things to do? Shouldn’t you be multi-tasking?!
When we slow down, whether forced to by a speed bump or on our own accord, we can better hear and see God at work. When I’m still, I can fully devote myself to worshiping the Lord and communicating with Him. In doing so I can hear from Him and get clarity. I can also experience gratitude and rest in knowing that God uniquely and lovingly designed me. The way in which He crafted my strengths, and my weaknesses, was no accident. It is in my weakness that I can become stronger in Christ.
We live in a world where hustle and bustle equal value. The speed at which you pack your days somehow (mistakenly) mean that you are thriving. Unfortunately, the opposite happens. If we pack our days, and focus on staying busy, we will find ourselves still unsatisfied and greatly worn out.
Licensed professional counselor and author Craig D. Lounsbrough says, “To rush is to equate speed with productivity. For speed might ensure that something gets done, but it does not guarantee that it’s productive.”
Where is God putting speedbumps in your life? Are you slowing down when forced? Or can you begin to live a life that has already allowed time to slow down?