Time to Slow Down

   Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock. What was your first thought when you read that sentence? It was probably either clock or time. Time: it is a precious thing. Every day we have 24 hours to get things done. Every hour we have 60 minutes to fill with our busy lives. And, every minute we have 60 seconds to do something. But, have you ever stopped to think about how busy your life actually is?

   In America it seems like people are always on the go. We don’t have time to sit and talk. We don’t have time to wait in line. We don’t have patience. I admit that I too struggle with patience. I actually like to be busy and I know other people who like to as well. Why is that? Maybe it is because I want to make every moment count. Maybe it is because I know how little time I will actually spend on earth. Maybe it is because I know I need to provide for myself. Or, maybe it is because I am actually afraid of slowing down.

   I know that there have been times where I have just been sitting around doing nothing. Then I think to myself I could be doing so much right now. That’s when I remember an experiment one of my professors did. He walked in the room and said nothing. We all looked at the time finally and realized that class started five minutes ago. Everyone in the class got quiet. But, the professor still didn’t say anything; he just stood there and smiled. Some people started giggling, others asked what was going on, but I was silent. After ten minutes the professor said that he was quiet for ten minutes and everyone found that silence awkward. He asked us why is it that we found silence awkward? Then he said that it is probably because everything in our lives is so noisy and busy.

   The professor challenged us to go somewhere and just be silent. And, he wanted us to continue to find places where we could be silent and have solitude. It is a little strange at first; but it is in those times, when I slow down and just listen, that I find peace in the chaos. Yeah, my life is still busy but I am not as stressed as I used to be because I spend that extra time with God. It is important to work hard when we do work; but we shouldn’t spend all of our time working and no time with God. After all he is the one who gave everything we have, including our jobs, in the first place.

   So, this Labor Day I challenge you to slow down and spend some silent time with God; and, to think about how you can continue to slow down throughout the year. You just may be less stressed, be happier, and grow more in God.

   Matthew 6:6, Luke 6:12, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8