Slow Down
As a child I can remember being spun on the merry-go-round. At first, spinning really fast was so much fun. But after awhile, I got dizzy and just wanted to get off. It seems like my life is much like a spin on a merry-go-round … it just goes around faster and faster.
Its hard to not take on too much, but if truth be told, most Christians take on more than they can handle. Many of us are juggling careers, family, hobbies, and doing ministry. The problem with taking on too much at one time is that we cannot enjoy what we are doing and even worse, we do not do the best job that we can because we feel dizzy from the whirlwind. It doesn’t take long before we feel just like riding on the merry-go-round, we get to the point of wanting to throw in the towel and jump off of the ride.
God did not intend for us to take on the world all alone. It is His desire that we slow down, sit at His feet and do what He wants us to do. The problem is we try to do the latter part but we forget to slow down to sit at His feet.
Recently, I came across a poem written by a young girl who was fighting against cancer. The poem did not list her name, so I cannot give her credit but I think the message in her writing is exactly what I need to apply to my New Years Resolution…to slow down and allow God to pace my steps.
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?Ever followed a butterfly’s
erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun
into the fading night?You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.Do you run through
each day on the fly?
When you ask, “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die,
Cause you never had time
To call and say,’Hi’When you run so fast
to get somewhere
You miss half the fun
of getting there.When you worry and hurry
through your day,
It is like an unopened gift….
Thrown away.Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.It is my prayer for the New year that each of us will slow down enough to hear the music before the song is over!
You can find daily devo’s over at my personal blog… http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/
And I thought that I had received all of my gifts on Christmas! Oh Laurie, this is so beautiful, thank you. What a wonderful way to begin a New Year…a little slower, a little less burdened, a little more aware of a butterfly’s path.
Andie
Amen to that, Laurie. Over the past month or so, I have read that we need to slow down. I guess the Lord is trying to get this across to me.
Thank you for sharing from your heart.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, be sweetly blessed.
I’ve seen a few people comment how that is what they want to do in 2011–slow down.
Wise advice for us all.