As January rolled in and the holidays were a thing of the past, I mourned for what was – the slower days and rhthyms of late mornings and afternoon naps, the days that rolled from one to another while demanding nothing but rest. I wasn’t ready to let go of the slow and steady.
So instead, I held on to the practice of pause – ‘slow and steady’ and ‘at a days pace’ were the rhthyms I fought to maintain.
It’s our default setting as ‘go-getters’ to hit the ground running, to go until we can’t go anymore. The hustle and bustle of everyday life forces our slow and steady rhythms to take on a different style. It starts to look more like rush and rumble instead of slow and steady. And, we just keep rolling with the punches.
The problem with that is, when April creeps around, we find ourselves worn out and tired. When we live life in a space of exhaustion, it begins to filter down into every area of our lives. We start slacking in areas that need attention, and our responses in tough decisions or difficult circumstances are laced with frustration and fatigue.
The practice of pause and reflect allows our souls and minds some breathing room. It strengthens our capacity to handle the difficult days. As we learn to take every day as it comes, at ‘a days pace’, we are obedient to the command of Matthew 6, that tells us to not worry about the days that lie ahead.
The beauty of the simple steady moments of life is in the stillness of sacred solitude – the solitude of our souls that we find in the moments of pause. It’s in these moments that we are able to grasp more intently on to the rhythms of grace that Jesus so freely offers us.
These rhythms encourage us to remain grateful, and grounded.
When Jesus needed a moment with His Father, He walked away from the crowds, the noise and the hustle and bustle of life. He found a place of solitude, so that He could be with His Father.
How often do you take a moment out of your busy day to spend time with your Father? How often do you still the noise around you so that you can get alone with Jesus?
Jesus speaks loudest in the slow, steady and still moments of our days. He doesn’t compete with the outside voices that cloud our judgement.
When we begin to practice the slower and steady routines of life, we will find it easier to sink into the stillness of knowing Him. We will no longer fight against the weights that so easily entangle us but instead we will flow into unforced streams of sacred moments with our Saviour. The simple practice of dialoguing all day with Jesus is life giving. But if we only set aside an hour for Him every other day, we limit ourselves to the beauty, blessing and freedom of this cross bearing, nail piercing relationship that Jesus has to offer us.
Take a moment today and pause. Block out the noise and spend time reading, writing, praying. Seek the face of the Father and lean into His unforced rhythms of grace. Steady your soul on His Word and anchor yourself in His presence.