15 DAYS.
Apologies if that just stressed you out, but Christmas is coming, like in 15 days. I’m not sure about you, but I’ve got tons of gifts still left to get, very specifically, for Kyla so if you have any ideas or suggestions, just let me know :).
I mentioned this in last week’s devotional, but for me, and I hope for you as well, I want to make the most of the next… well, now 15 days.
Last week, I highlighted not allowing the busyness of the season to distract us from receiving all that God desires to give to us… desires to give through us.
This might not be true for you, but I know it is for me… I move fast. It does not matter if I’m in the car or on foot in a parking lot, wherever it is I’m going, I’m always rushing to get there. And even if I’m not running late, I’m still rushing to get where I’m going. If I’m at a store, BJ’s, Market Basket, or TJ Maxx, I am moving through each aisle as if someone is chasing me.
Why do I do this? Well, for starters, I’m a bit weird, so there’s that. But probably more so, I’ve become conditioned towards ‘hurry.’ In other words, the idea of slowing down and taking time to enjoy the moment I’m in… it’s not my typical posture. And because it’s not my standard modus operandi, I often get to the end of my day feeling exhausted without really even knowing why, other than I was busy and moving super fast.
Clearly, I have no idea what is before you with 15 days to go till Christmas… I’m guessing it’s a lot. But if I can, I’d love to share with you what I ‘sense’ the LORD is sharing with me…
SLOW DOWN.
I’m not saying neglect all that needs to get done… be faithful to get done what is before you and as best you can, do it with excellence in order to honor the LORD and those around you.
That being said, you can do all of what you need to get done, but while you’re doing it… SLOW DOWN.
Jesus reminds us in John’s Gospel that God is always at work (see John 5:17), and if that’s true (and it is), if we don’t SLOW DOWN in our work, we might just miss His work.
So, how do we do this? Great question, so glad you asked! Here’s what’s helping me, especially in this season. Before you begin doing whatever it is that needs to get done, simply pray…
“LORD, help me to see you in this moment.”
This is not some sort of magical prayer… not at all. But here’s the thing, it is a prayer that is consistent with what Jesus said. It’s a prayer that acknowledges that God is always at work, and whether we deem the work we’re doing to be mundane or monumental, God is working through the midst of it all.
As I’ve been learning afresh in this season, SLOWING DOWN is not easy. If you’ve been living in a posture of ‘hurry’ for some time, just know, it will take some time to recalibrate and establish a new rhythm.
By no means have I arrived, but what I’m already seeing is that as I’m learning to SLOW DOWN, I’m still going to bed just as tired as before, but there’s a difference. I’m going to bed being able to reflect on how I saw God at work in the midst of my day. And because of that, when I wake up to begin the next day, I’m excited to see how He might move in the midst of it all again.
