Many of us live life in the fast lane. We’re guilty of literally accelerating to a stop. But is living life hurried — the heart posture expressed in accelerating to a stop — part of following Jesus? Is it really part of the good, full life He offers?
I was driving around the Dayton area the other day doing some sourcing for our reselling business. The traffic light that I was headed towards turned red. I let off the gas and proceeded to coast to a stop.
However, I noticed that my fellow drivers continued accelerating as long as they could before slamming on the brakes to come to a halt.
This isn’t the first time that I have noticed this behavior: accelerating to a stop.
Now, you might be wondering how this has anything to do with following Jesus. What is so significant about this?
Well, you see, what we do with our bodies is intricately connected to our hearts and minds. Our bodies, hearts and minds are all intertwined. They don’t just co-exist separately and disjointedly. We are holistic beings—each part influences and impacts the other.
Consider mental health for example. Chemical imbalances in the body can lead to depression or anxiety, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Something as simple as getting up and being active can help relieve stress. Seeing a smiling face can bring a smile to our own face because our brain recognizes and mimics the same feelings of happiness.
And being physically in a hurry — aka accelerating to a stop — is representative of the spiritual condition of our hearts.
We feel such pressure to go, go, go. We feel like we have to hustle and get ahead. We accelerate to stops. But is that pressure there? Does God expect that of us?
Solomon, who had unmatched wisdom, said, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for He grants sleep to those He loves” (Psalm 172v2 NIV, my emphasis).
That last phrase could also be translated as “for while they sleep He provides for those He loves.”
It reminds me of Jesus in a boat during the middle of a storm sound asleep. We often wonder how He could sleep in the middle of a storm. How was that restful?
I wonder if we are thinking about it all wrong. Our eyes are focused on the storm. But we know from the rest of Jesus’s life where His focus was.
Jesus’s eyes were focused on His Father.
Jesus slept and rested in the middle of a storm because He knew and trusted that He was in the middle of His Father’s love and that being in the middle of His love is more powerful than any storm.
Yes, He was sleeping in a storm. But on a deeper, truer, more powerful level, Jesus was resting in His Father’s love. He was trusting in His Father’s provision.
Our physical hustle and hurry is indicative of our inability to slow down and rest—physically and spiritually. We have trouble sitting still. Silence is haunting rather than peaceful and freeing. Solitude is uncomfortable so we turn to our phones to fill the gap.
Even when we actually do slow down and rest, our heart posture often isn’t right. We do it simply to get by rather than to live full lives. We do it begrudgingly as a hindrance to our productivity rather than as a joy that allows us to live more creatively, lovingly and fruitfully.
A while back, Connor and I were talking about Sabbath, rest and caring for our souls. He told me something our mutual friend Alex shared with him.
Back in March, Alex took on a full-time lead pastoral position at a Missionary Church in Michigan. Going into it, he knew that he had to care for his soul, but he has since learned more about its importance. Talking about Sabbath (but it applies to rest and slowing down in general), Alex told Connor, “The goal isn’t simply to not burnout. The goal is to live from the feet of Jesus.”
Especially in ministry, we talk a lot about resting and building margin to avoid burnout. Resting, slowing down and creating margin does help us avoid burnout. Avoiding burnout is a good thing, but it isn’t the point.
The goal is to live from the feet of Jesus.
Living to not burn out is like doing just enough to keep treading water. We rest and slow down just enough to keep getting by, to not burn out.
Living from the feet of Jesus is different though. So much different…and so much better. Coming back to and living from the feet of Jesus is being filled up so we can walk on the water.
The reason we rest and slow down is because our Father loves us. We rest and slow down to meet with Him, to allow His love to soak in and settle deep down into our being, to be ongoingly filled to overflowing with His Spirit.
The pressure that we feel simply isn’t there. At least not from God. He doesn’t have that expectation of us. In fact, His desire is just the opposite. He longs for us, for you and me to live with Him and abide in Him.
Rest, slowing down, Sabbath, creating margin…
None of it is about simply not burning out.
It’s about living from the feet of Jesus.
It’s about “living out of a deep, loving enjoyment of the Father’s company” (John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry).
It’s about living in step with the Spirit by whom we have received life.
However, just as a car can’t go instantly from 60 mph to 0 mph (at least not without incurring significant damage or putting the car’s components under undue stress), neither can we go living hurried to resting and at peace in our Father’s presence. We must cultivate and keep with consistency daily, weekly, monthly and yearly rhythms that slow us down and create space if we want to truly delight in our Father’s presence and see the fruit of abiding.
There’s no rubric or set list of things that you have to do. Some things that are challenging for one person may not be for another. Be creative and think of ways that you can slow down to abide in your Father’s presence. And build as you go. If you really want to jump into the deep end, you can, but it is much easier to start with one small thing and then grow it and then add in other things as you go.
To help jumpstart you, we’ve provided five ideas below for slowing down. You may laugh at some when you first read them, but, trust me, try them and your laughing will probably quickly fade as anxiety, impatience and restlessness begin to swell where there should be peace, joy and love.
- Go without your phone. Maybe start by leaving it in your house while you go for a 30-minute walk and then build that time until you have one day a week where you are off your phone entirely. You could also give your phone a bedtime and wake up time. For example, I try to put my phone to bed at 8 PM and not pick it up until after 8 AM. It gives me space at the end and beginning of my day to reflect and rest and set my heart right.
- Speaking of walks, take a walk. But, do it slowly. Don’t speed walk to get as far as you can in as little time as possible. Go slow. Take each step deliberately. Think about walking along with Jesus at your side (and trust me, He isn’t walking to win the gold medal in power walking. He’s going slow with purpose and love and peace and joy.).
- Here’s where you’ll laugh: driving. Actually go the speed limit. That’s right. You heard me correctly: go the speed limit. And if you want to be really crazy, come to a full stop at stop signs. I promise that it won’t kill you.
- Here’s another kicker. Get in a checkout lane at the grocery store and STAY in that lane. If you see one that is shorter, don’t switch to it. Stay right where you are and wait patiently. Maybe double up and don’t pull out your phone either. Wait silently or talk to the person in front of or behind you. If you’re feeling really adventurous, get in the longest checkout lane at the grocery store.
- Sabbath. Take one day a week where you do no work but instead do something that fills you up and allows you to meet with God. However, know that sabbathing well takes work. It takes time to learn what works for you and leaves you filled the most. Give it time and be committed to it.
Stop accelerating to a stop.
Instead, learn to find rest in Your Father’s presence.
And remember…
It’s about living from the feet of Jesus…
It’s about “living out of a deep, loving enjoyment of the Father’s company…”
It’s about living in step with the Spirit by whom we have received life…
It’s about living the fullest life that Jesus came to give us.
Much love, friends.
Author:
Hi, I’m Keagan! Some of my friends call me “Keags” though! My wife, Charity, is the C to my K. I am loved by Jesus and am in love with Jesus! I am passionate about others fully knowing and loving Jesus and living life in His unforced rhythms of grace. Read more of my writing here.
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