“Slow down.
Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry?
Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?”
Jeremiah 2:25 MSG

 

After the birth and renewal of spring, and the freedom and youth of summer, autumn is a time for reflection, deep introspection, and letting go.

An opportunity to reflect, reevaluate and move forward at a different pace as we transition into the cooler months—slow down, turn inward, and rest unlike any other time of year. 

How timely this season has taught me to take a breather. 

I’ve been doing multiple things at once, and my brain has become accustomed to distracted connectedness. Little did I know, it crept into my most sacred place—my relationship with God.

Slow down—this process allowed me to see that God is wooing me—and Jesus has always been my greatest example. 

Jesus wasn’t in a hurry to start His earthly ministry. 

Jesus wasn’t in a hurry to wake up from His nap even when His boat encountered a storm that scared the most experienced fishermen on board. 

Jesus wasn’t in a hurry to get to Lazarus even when He knew that His dear friend was dying. 

Jesus wasn’t in a hurry to keep walking to the next town even though people needed Him there.  

Jesus slowed down to rest. 

He slowed down to spend time with His Father. 

He slowed down to invite His disciples to rest with Him. 

When Jesus felt tired, He slowed down to take a break. 

Each day of the past month has given me opportunities to learn more about our Heavenly Father and His thoughts about me. 
I found precious new time to be more present with others in the small moments of life. 

Slowing down kept me from rushing into tomorrow and missing out on today.

Slowing down provided opportunities for me to connect with God more throughout the day—to let my mind and body slow to His rhythm, to notice His presence and His will for me that day.

Slowing down helped me decipher what was important and what was less significant. 
What was urgent and what could wait. 
And while my To-Do list didn’t get any smaller, some things on it got less important. I wasn’t rushing ahead to the next thing on my list.

These new habits helped me carry that calm, slow pace for longer periods of time. They kept me operating at God’s pace instead of trying to keep up with the world’s pace.

This process has been producing the needed depth in order for my life to bear fruit that lasts. 

Returning to the way of life Jesus modeled for us and empowers us to emulate, Dallas Willard once quipped,
“Though Jesus saw his work in the lives of others as urgent, he pursued it patiently.”

As we head into a new week, how can we begin to practice the spiritual habit of slowing down?

Slowing down to celebrate one of my close friend’s birthday.