Are You Sacrificing Yourself on the Alter of Fast-Paced Living?
Our pace is often determined by our trust. It is. It really is.
For years I ran everywhere. Out of the house. To the store. Through the store. To the car. And back into the house. Literally, I was running. I ran because I thought that all things depended on me. I took on too many obligations and filled my calendar too full. Life and struggles seemed bigger than God.
Although I did my Bible Study and prayer time, I rushed through them, checking off those boxes because I knew I needed to do them and feeling better about myself because I had. None of it was about a relationship with my heavenly Father.
The pace of my life was wide open because I had trust problems.
Eric Liddell was a Scottish Olympic athlete in the 20’s. This quote from him is so inspiring.
“The secret of my success over the 400m is that I run the first 200m as fast as I can. Then, for the second 200m, with God’s help, I run faster.”
In whom is your trust?
Is it in your abilities and strength?
Or are you trusting the Lord?
But let me warn you. When you begin to trust God with your pace and life schedule, you may begin to hear things that surprise you. You may be given ideas that seem opposite of what you might imagine. Not too very long ago, I was trying to figure out how to grow my business, and God invited me into a Sabbatical. Not at all what I imagined. However, I did not realize how much my body needed a rest and what damage I had done to it because of years and years of not knowing how to pace myself. But if I had not listened I am not sure I would have ever stepped into writing and creating.
Sometimes, the way in is out, and the way up is down. The Kingdom of God doesn’t always make sense. When I am discerning something that doesn’t make sense to me I have learned to slow down and take time to at least lean into those ideas. Sometimes they aren’t for me, but sometimes they are.
Yes, Paul encourages us to “run the race set before us.” But remember, runners don’t run all the time. They rest, too. They know how to rest and how to run. Also, even track runners (who run short races) train by running at a slow pace. They don’t just run fast all the time. We have to be wise because there will be moments in time when we need to go hard and fast for a bit. But are we doing that WITH God? Are we preparing as best we can and trusting Him to help us?
It is when we get caught up going from one fast-paced thing right into the next without a break that we need to stop and assess. What is so important in life that we are choosing to sacrifice ourselves and our health on its altar?
Instead, our Father calls himself our hiding place. He welcomes us to draw near and find comfort “under the shelter of his wings,” like a mother chick. But we have to slow down to do this.
I just wonder if our pace would change if we knew how loved we are by him and that he is our “very present help in time of need.” Our Good Father. He is the one who loves us and welcomes us to come near, to receive his help and protection. Let’s pray that we will choose to slow down and draw near.
Dear Father, thank you that I don’t have to live my life at a break-neck speed. This life is not all up to me. Forgive me when I have stepped into places and spaces that you never meant for me to be in. Forgive me, where I have played god myself and thought that I am more trustworthy than you are. I lay all this down at your feet. Help me to know I can trust you. Teach me what it is about your character that I need to know to trust you more. I choose not to shame myself about this struggle, but instead, I thank you that I am learning and growing in our relationship. Amen.
