Slow Down

Slow down.

Slow down your body. Slow down your mind. Slow down your heart.

Life isn’t about quantity. It’s about quality. What sort of quality of life are you living?

Slow down and take your time. Do not focus on your progress adding up. Focus on how you’re making that progress – In this moment – Right now.

I am not telling you to stop. I’m telling you to pace yourself.

I’m not telling you to be lazy. I’m telling you to rest.

Just slow down.

Solving the Puzzle

Blame it on my heritage, but it seems as though I have always had a determination to get from point A to point B. Even while working on one thing, I have my game plan ready to tackle the next thing. My mind sees life as puzzle pieces needing to be rearranged and put back together.

This urgency to be efficient ended up giving me the nickname “Speedy”. I used to think I would regret it. I thought I would hit some old age in life where I just wouldn’t be able to move like I once did in my younger days. I guess I never realized it wouldn’t take that long.

I was in the hospital when I got my first taste of what “Speedy” really could do. After multiple steroid treatments, this non-stop nature was dramatically enhanced. Forget sleep. I had the universe to solve.

My heart learned to live in a never-ending state of tachycardia. My lungs were constantly short of breath. Sickness may have slowed down my body, but my mind never stopped racing.

There was so much going on. So much to do. I needed answers. I needed to get the roadblocks out of the way. As always, there could be no grey area. It was either black or white. Yes or no. And I needed to be in an limitless state of motion to make sure life was answered.

It didn’t even matter when I tapered down the steroids. This was just who I was – a whirlwind.

Except I wasn’t. Life was. And this was how I was choosing to live.

The Puzzle is a Choice

There’s no doubt that this world is a busy place. Chaos, stress, worry, everywhere you turn. It’s overwhelming. Or at least, it can be if you let it.

This is exactly what our flesh wants to do. Keep us busy.

The only problem with this is that if our flesh is busy, our spirit is not.

When we allow the things around us to fill our minds, to take up our time, we leave no room for what is most important – our spirit and God working within our spirit.

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. – Romans 8:6 

No doubt, you’re distracted by something right now – perhaps, many things. You’re reading this. You’re holding a conversation. Your phone is going off. In your mind, you have things on the backburner – maybe even things burning on the front.

Your mind is loud. The world around you is loud. Silence it.

Pause.

Focus on nothing else.

Breathe with no other thoughts but your lungs being filled with life.

Now, remember Who gave you that life.

Remember Who woke you up this morning to let you see a new day.

You’re here right now. You’re alive. And nothing your flesh wants to tell you is more important than what He wants to tell you.

Keep quiet. Listen.

When your mind tries to take over again, shut it down.

Because He will keep you in perfect peace if your mind is stayed on Him. Just trust in Him. ( Isaiah 26:3)

The Puzzle is Already Solved

I’ve learned firsthand that when the thoughts of life begin to stack in my mind, it can take no time at all for things to tumble down. But when I allow God’s Spirit to fall upon me, I can then finally see how none of those thoughts matter.

When I feel that peace of His presence, the world no longer seems like an unsolved puzzle. Instead, I see a map, a sense of direction.

And all I ever have to do is just slow down.

Slow down. Breathe. And listen.