THE PROCESS OF SLOWING DOWN

“Go with the slow.” –  Unknown

Most of us understand that if we want to grow spiritually, we need to slow down occasionally. But that always seems to be a challenge. There seems to be something about being forced to slow down that makes us want to run faster than we were before. It probably stems from when an obstacle hits us, and we decide to summon up our will to power through. For some inexplicable reason, slowing down seems impractical and uncomfortable.

However, when we have no choice but to slow down, we realize it may actually be a good thing. We understand that slowing down helps us eliminate all the needless distractions that have been adding stress but have done nothing to help us be productive with important things. We begin to realize that we did not know we were being distracted because we were unaware of what we are being distracted from. When we slow down, we have the time to reevaluate what truly matters, seeking, first and foremost, the Kingdom of God.

Mark 1:35 says, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” Simon and his companions went to look for Him and when they found Him, they exclaimed, ‘“Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons” (Mark 1:36-39).

Jesus is already in great demand because of His healing ministry. Jesus is showcasing His power and His authority to heal people. To cast out demons. To bring the kingdom of God.  And because of that, people came from everywhere to see Him. With a bit of imagination, you could imagine the scene as something like Black Friday, with people going crazy to see Him, get their deal, whatever it might be. They’re coming from everywhere to interact with Jesus. The bottom line is that amidst all this craziness, the Bible says that Jesus pulls away to a solitary place. Moving faster was certainly an option, but Jesus chose the right speed over rushing.

Over and over in the gospels, we see that the writers describe occasions when Jesus takes a break from all claims on His time and energy. Jesus was intentional about remaining present to the Father in Heaven. And so He took time to get away and pray even though people who needed healing and still wanted to hear a word of comfort or inspiration. But repeatedly, Jesus knew that He could not continue to meet those needs without intentionally moving at the right speed in His life.

There are absolute times when we need to rush. If a house catches fire, there is no time to be contemplative; it is a time to accelerate.  But if we’re living at that pace, non-stop, our lives will not be sustainable.  We need to be more like Jesus, who was never too busy to connect with His Father.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you determine the right speed for your life?
2. If you want God to show you His will, you need to: Slow Down – If you want God to show you the will He has for your life you’re going to have to go at the speed He requires. Agree or disagree and why?