Week 48: Slowing - Slow down Tiger!

One of the great disadvantages of hurry is that it takes such a long time. (G.K. Chesterton)

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save. (Will Rogers)

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

Today is my off day. I think that the best time for me to spend this precious moment is to read, write and relax. For the last few days, I forget to slow down my pace. “Buzz buzz buzz…” my alarm clock rings:

Morning: Hurriedly I wake up, brush my teeth, bath, drink a cup of water, skip breakfast, and get to work. 

Afternoon: Lunch; faster biting those meats and chewing that vegetable, drink my coffee and get back to work. (Oh even as I sit down, I still thought about work…)

Evening: 15 minutes instant dinner, get back to work, sit down but still doing something, lying on my bed sms’ing, get back to work, meeting for a while and sleep.

… And the circle goes round and round again for the next day. "What a busy day", I said to myself. Then I stop; take a deep breath and slowing down. Then this verse comes to mind, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) “Be still” can also be translate as “Enough!” or “Stop!” Life is too precious to miss, and the faster we go the more likely we are to miss what really matters. Maybe you’re too hurrying – “enough!” Maybe you’re too busy –“stop!” Maybe you’re soo fast –“be still!”

Yes, slow down tiger! You need to slow down. Unless we break the addiction to busyness, hurry and workaholism we can savor the moment we are in now. It is here. And it will never come again. Busyness in your life overcrowds your mental resources. When you need to sit down and relax, your mind rather wondering around, “Oh, I forget to check my e-mails”; “I wonder what my friends’ comments about my Facebook post this morning”; “Where is Sally? She promises to call me!” Thus, you can’t experience the present moment –now. The faster we go the less we become. The hurry we become the less things we done. And no matter what, we certainly don’t become better people in haste. If your life is always busy, you may miss God’s guidance and His present in the moment. Friend (or rather tiger), God is telling you to ‘be still and know that I am God.”

"Slow down,
you are missing the scenery..."

Peter Kreeft writes, “If you can’t take time to do nothing, you’re slave to doing. Doing nothing is a radical, revolutionary act. It frees you from the universal slavery of our age: slavery to the clock. The clock measures doing but not being.” Slowing is always a counter culture in our society today even in Malaysia. When you do things slowly people thought that you’re lazy, unproductive, wasting time and less enthusiastic. It can be true sometimes, but you see, there is a time for everything – a time to hurry up and a time to slow down, a time to get busy and a time to relax, a time for urgency and a time to be patient. Dallas Willard observed, “Though Jesus saw his work in lives of others as urgent, he pursued it patiently.” We ought to do the same.

Here are few things that I practice (not always but frequently) to discipline myself in the art of slowing down;

·        Take time to get out from my office or room and take a slow walk outside,

·        Make myself a cup of coffee and sit in a chair doing nothing,

·        Speaking more slowly,

·        Pause before respond or speak,

·        Chewing slowly when eating,

·        Look at a picture or scene and savor the moment,

·        Take extra longer shower,

·        Breathe slowly and deeply,

·        Read slowly,

·        Getting enough sleep… etc.

 Are you now in a busy mode? Are you addicted to hurry, rush and ‘Red-bull’ moment? What if you choose to do things slowly, can you savor it? Slow down tiger! God doesn’t demand constant activity; he desires both productive activity and refreshing rest. Get busy and slow down. Urgent and patient. My favorite author Adele Calhoun defines “Slowing is one way to overcome inner hurriedness and addiction to busyness. Through slowing, the sacrament of the present moment is tasted to the full.” God of the Bible makes it clear that we need time to slowing down, ‘Be still and know that I am God.” Slow down tiger!

THINK BIG Hurry cannot make our future faster,
START SMALL Trusting God’s unhurried time schedule,

GO DEEP “Through slowing, the sacrament of the present moment is tasted to the full.”

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References:

1.     Zondervan NIV Study Bible,

2.     Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes; Wit & Wisdom for Every Occasion.