Ready, Set, Slow

Ready, Set, Slow

One of the biggest mistakes I believe I made as a parent was frequently telling my children to “hurry up!”  The problem is, I’m still telling myself to “hurry up!”  Hurrying up is stressful.  Read this excerpt from http://www.newhopenow.org/. 

“Hurrying is a problem for us when we live our lives in a continual state of urgency, viewing daily stresses as emergencies.  Hurrying from one thing to the next, each more "imperative" than the last.  Doing two or three things at once to save time.  Jumpstarting ourselves with caffeine (an adrenaline stimulant) to get going in the morning, to stay alert in the afternoon, or to get psyched up before a meeting.  Passing cars on the freeway.  Counting people's items in the "short order" grocery line.  Thinking about what we else have to do when someone is talking to us. Then grinding our teeth at night as we worry about all that we didn't get done! 

Living under the pressure of urgency or being keyed up is costly.  In addition to experiencing the periodic unpleasant withdrawal symptoms of not being constantly hurried (a compulsion to get busy, be more productive, or be stimulated with noise or activity; emptiness, boredom, and depressed mood; feelings of guilt about being idle; irritability or loss of temper;  worrying about work that needs to be done; fidgetiness or restlessness (e.g., pacing, finger or foot tapping, fast gum chewing); utter exhaustion), people who live with adrenaline surging through their bodies regularly suffer from things like anxiety, rapid heartbeats, headaches, backaches, gastric distress, and sleep problems.  And they dramatically increase their risk of stress-related illnesses ranging from viruses and ulcers to heart disease and cancer.

I think that the most serious consequence of an adrenaline-driven lifestyle (one with eternal significance) is that it crowds out God and His blessings.  You become a "human-doing" instead of a human being.  Life is lacking in the things that are most enjoyable and meaningful: loving relationships, delightful experiences, creative expression, passionate pursuits, and spirituality.  God, when you do focus on Him, seems distant and unconcerned or like a harsh taskmaster.”

So what is the answer to all of this hurrying?  First, pray about your life, your schedule, and your priorities.  If you don’t spend time with God each day, you won’t be in balance (your desire to jump right in and tackle everything yourself will tip the scale toward frustration and stress because you didn’t involve God in your planning)—God helps us even with our day-to-day activities, but only if we ask Him and include Him in the planning of our activities.  Jesus felt led to pray.  Mark 1:35  “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”  Matthew 14:23 “After sending them home, Jesus went up into the hills by himself to pray.”  Matthew 26:36  “Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, ‘Sit here while I go over there to pray.’  So praying is a great place to start slowing down.  

Next, realize that God doesn’t hurry, and He accomplishes what needs to be accomplished in His timing.  I believe that hurrying can actually be counterproductive.  If we take rest breaks throughout the day, we tend to feel more motivated once we get back to tasks.  When you are on your death bed, what will you regret taking time to do?  Will it be cleaning, organizing, working?  No, you know the answer!  You will probable regret slowing down to take time for loved ones and to enjoy the many blessings God gave you!  So Get Ready, Get Set, Slow Down, and I’ll practice doing the same myself!