HOW CAN WE SLOW DOWN WHEN THINGS ARE ACCELERATING AROUND US?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. 
(Psalm 37:7)

MEDITATION:
We live in a high energy, fast paced, ‘do it now’ world which can sometimes 
make us feel we are falling behind as everything and everyone zooms past us.
The truth is, everyone is ‘paced’ differently.
Some enjoy the pressure of ‘keeping up’, while others 
prefer to take time to enjoy the things and people around them.

Whenever the pace and demands on us are overwhelming, 
how can we handle it in order to relax and keep our sanity? 
The scriptures tell us that we need to turn to the One who knows our ‘pace’.

First of all we need to learn to “be still”.
That seems like a daunting task, but God has given us the Holy Spirit to assist 
us with whatever we need to do, even if it seems overwhelming and impossible.

For me personally, my mind is constantly jumping from one thought to another.
Sometimes I can’t even complete one thought before another one ‘jumps in’.
But I have learned one thing that helps me 
in controlling this constant shifting of thoughts.
Whenever I am spending time with the Lord, 
I can block out many of the other thoughts vying for my attention.

In 2013, for whatever reason God gave me a mission 
of distributing the devotionals He sends me each day.
Initially I thought, “Great, now I have something else demanding my time”.
But it wasn’t long until I was grateful for the time I spend with Him each day, 
just listening to what He wants to communicate to others, organizing the 
thoughts He gives me, and distributing His ‘gift’ (to date, thousands 
are reading His devotionals in 40 states and 60 foreign countries).

Sometimes, I try to visualize how our Heavenly Father is using His 
devotionals to speak to others, and the impact He is having on their lives.
From time to time I receive a comment from someone who was impacted by one 
of His devotionals, and it confirms to me that He is at work in the lives of people.

How amazing and exciting is that?
The God of the universe sends a devotional that is good for everyone, 
but is also targeted for one specific person who needs to hear from Him that day.
Yes, God is alive today, He cares about His people, and He 
provides for our needs collectively and individually in many different ways.

Of course I don’t have to visualize how He speaks to me as well, because He 
has taught me to ‘be still’ and enjoy His gifts, before I distribute them. 
I can honestly say that I look forward to the time with Him each day, 
and cannot wait to see what His message for all of us is for that day. 

In Psalm 37:7, we are also told to “wait patiently for Him”.
It makes sense doesn’t it?
We cannot exercise patience until we learn to ‘be still’.
We all need to learn to step out of the rapid flow of everything, 
sit down, and patiently await God’s calming effect on our lives.

When we do these two things, we discover that instead of allowing the 
success of wicked people to frustrate and cause anxieties in us, 
we can pause, take a breath, and appreciate the Lord’s presence and His goodness.

When we learn to ‘be still’ and ‘wait patiently on the Lord’, 
our anxieties are replaced with a calmness that helps us to 
control our anger and our angry reactions to the things that frustrate us.
When we ‘fret’ over things we cannot control, 
we open the door to evil thoughts and actions.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil. (Psalm 37:8)

ACTION:
God has a solution for every problem, 
including our desire to find rest in a fast paced world.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises! 
Teach me how to be still and wait patiently on You.”

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