When you’re racing through life, everything is a blur. You blaze past beauty without noticing it. You miss fine details. There’s no time for reflection—just the “next thing.”
It’s easy to lose sight of our ultimate purpose. Do you know what that is?
Slowing down can be so hard.
You might be aware that it’s important to “stop and smell the roses.” But it can be ridiculously hard to actually do it. For most of us, the demands of life keep us running.
Truth be told, it was even hard for me to slow down to write this blog post. In fact, life has been so hectic that I’m still working on it as midnight approaches on the evening that it’s due.
Not that I didn’t start working on it much earlier. (I did.)
Actually, for the past month, I’ve been chewing on the topic, thinking about you … and pondering what I could share related to slowing down that might be really helpful.
Getting another perspective
When I tackle an important subject like this one, I often ask people I respect for their insight and opinions.
Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
When I asked my favorite wise counselor (my husband) for his input, he shared a profound perspective….
We are never really finished.
My husband and I are so different.
Whereas, I approach my work aggressively and imagine that if I work hard enough, I will eventually finish everything … my husband knows (and wisely pointed out) that our work here is never really done.
This side of Heaven, in the land afflicted with thistles and thorns, there will always be more for us to do.
If that’s true, then we must find a way to be at peace with the reality of our unfinished work.
But how?
Align your thinking to your ultimate purpose.
As my husband explained, when we calibrate our thinking to align with our ultimate purpose—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever—we can begin to see the importance of consciously making time to appreciate the true treasures of life.
Your family’s list may be quite different, but for us, those treasures are simple things like:
- Taking a long walk or bike ride
- Playing frisbee golf
- Playing and singing worship songs together
How does your family slow down?
Or perhaps I should ask, “Does your family ever slow down?”
Be intentional about putting on the brakes.
