Life in the Fast Lane | Learning to Slow Down in Christ
“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11
There was once a woman who continued to rush through life without a pause. Needing to hurry and knock everything off to get done as if time was limited. She hustled and bustled her way through life. Only to feel less satisfied. She found herself less and less like Christ and more and more like the world. She hurried onto the next task, serving here and serving there, doing all the good things only to be left with no cup filled. Emptier by the day, restless throughout the night. She continued to pour from an empty cup leaving her heart more and more unsettling. Her mind swirled and spun like the merry go round on the playground. And there she was, feeling anxious all around.
This lady, who loved God with all of her heart, had it all wrong at the beginning. Serving was not anything wrong, but how it was done was wrong. Serving because it was the good thing to do, not realizing it wasn’t where God wanted her.
She wanted to do what was right for God, but things were done not in how God wanted her to have them done.
She rushed and rushed onto the next task. Crossing off the tasks she got done only to hurry and move forward with a hustle and bustle in life. Living in the fast lane is where she was, without Christ at the center of it all. Life in the fast lane is much like the holidays that come around. Moving and going all around only to see people more stressed and more highly in debt than before. Their eyes fixated on the “good” things only to lose sight of the true One, Christ.
Pausing and slowing down was a challenge for her, but oh how it must be done. Christ never hustled and bustled his way through his life nor ministry. So why on earth should she?
That woman was me.
Feeling the need to hustle and bustle may way through life walking the fast lane without Christ.
Why must I feel so rushed? A need to hurry and get things done as if time is running out. Hurrying only to cause my heart to race and my mind to feel rushed.
I take a look around only to see many in this season and life only to feel the need to rush, not pause, and slow down. A season that has somehow made everyone feel as if everything needs to hurry and be done only to feel empty, hurried, anxious and without a cup filled.
Somewhere along the way we have adopted the lie, as I had, of needing to hurry and rush because not doing so is either lazy or time is limited.
But this isn’t true. All throughout the Bible we see and read of how no one rushed and felt pushed to hurry and get it done.
Instead, we read of Jesus heading to the mountain to spend time with the Father. While others felt rushed and hurried, much like Martha, Jesus didn’t. He slowly and steadily embraced every step and walk he took and people he met.
Why then must we hurry and not embrace the beautiful time given? Having the need to hurry and feel the need to check off each task and serve in every place actually leaves us in a place of disconnection, distraction and our hearts restless.
Our souls and hearts were created to want Him, Jesus. We were created to commune with Him. To feast with Him. To rest in Him.
We were created to want Him… not this world.
This world has a lot to offer but nothing of eternal value.
This world can slowly drift our eyes off the True Vine and source of life if not carefully guarded and careful.
Friend, there truly is nothing for us when we rush. It still leaves us empty and depleted. It leaves us in the endless pursuit of mundane tasks only to see another repeat the next day. Slow down friend, and never rush.
In a world we live in today, with instant answers by searching in google, one to two day arrival shipping now no longer waiting, there is true character, beauty, and growth that happens underneath in the unseen part of slowing down. We must learn to say no the even the “good” things so the best things can have our best yes! Sometimes even the good things are not good for us when God did not call us to it. And if He did call us to it and we just seem to feel rushed, we more than likely added to our plate other things that seem as a priority that has gotten in the way. Reorganizing our life to make room for what truly matters, we learn to slow down and rest in the Lord. We rush when we have a lot to do. We feel pressured when we have lacked on our part, slacking, because we have added more to our plate or have put our focus on the wrong things. Oh how I know this all too well as I battled with it. But I am so thankful for the Lords correction and grace, otherwise, I’d still be stuck in that fast lane with my heart far from Christ.
Oh how it took me a long while to stop, pause, and embrace each season the Lord gave me and enjoy the steps along the way. Life in the fast lane is one we need to stop and pause, and allow Christ in the center of our lives. Slowing down and enjoying each step we take with Christ. Not allowing the distractions bring disconnection with Christ and us.
May we be women who embrace the pause and slow once again, enjoying the steps given in Christ, not pursuing the good things even if they are good but not good for us, and walking not in the fast lane but in the lane, the road with Christ. I wish I could share more but this will make it a very lengthy post and I would hate to do that to you. So for now I will share my personal tips, verses and a prayer for you.
Tips to Slow Down:
- Pray and ask the Father what needs to be eliminated.
- Read the Word and take it all in. Don’t rush to the next task, meditate on it.
- Organize your life and filter out what does not belong.
- Surrender your life and tasks to Jesus
- Learn to say no to the even the “good” things so better things can have your best yes!
- Pause on the activities and serving positions that take up room in your heart away from the Lord, just until your heart can get right and aligned with God. He should be the main priority in our life.
Verses to Ponder on:
“Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
“And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6
“Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” Proverbs 19:2
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“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
A Prayer for Us:
Heavenly Father, I first want to say thank you. Thank you for never rushing to create me or my sister in Christ reading this, but how slow and thoughtful you put into us. Thank you for the details Father. Forgive us for not seeing the beauty of stillness, waiting, and slowing down. Help us to do and be better in those times you call us to slow down. Remind us that You never rushed and neither did your Son, Jesus. Rushing, hurrying, the hustle and bustle of the world disconnects us from you. I ask that you guard and protect our time together and help us to do the same, guarding and protecting the slow seasons. There is so much to learn from you and I thank you for the wisdom and knowledge you give us. Grant in us a Spirit of being still, growing in maturity of Christ and getting our hearts anchored in Jesus. May we never lose sight of you Lord, but always gazing upon the beauty of our Savior. In Jesus Name, Amen.