Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast

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Can I ask you a question? Why are we all rushing through life? We rush around until life’s no fun. None of us knows what tomorrow has in store, so why do we want to get there so quickly? The Bible tells us that our life is like a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. Perhaps we need to all slow down a little. Please read more.

Last week I wrote about my two-week camping trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. My wife and I camped with two other couples who traveled to meet us from another state. The trip was amazing, and the beauty of God’s creation was beyond words. But the trip is now in our rear-view mirror.

Over two years of planning went into our trip. It was originally scheduled for 2021, but it had to be rescheduled because of Covid. We watched countless YouTube videos about how to plan our time in the park.  The three couples had many zoom calls to map out our vacation strategy. Anticipation was high when we all reached the Rockies. The first full day set the tone for the next five days. Each day gave way to the anticipation of what would follow next.

We are now back home after a long road trip. It took five days of driving to get there and five more to get home. In what seems like the blink of an eye, our trip, with all of it anticipation, is now just a memory. So goes life! Undoubtedly, we have all planned for special events and occasions and they seem to be over before they begin. Many newlyweds have experienced this feeling.  After lengthy wedding preparations, suddenly in just a few hours the wedding and celebration are over.

Life is often consumed by either looking ahead or looking over our shoulder at the past. We only have one day at a time to live, and it is today. Today is a gift from God, perhaps that is why it is called “the present.” We seem to be speeding through life. Most drivers feel compelled to drive 5-10 miles over the speed limit at all times. What’s the hurry? The Bible tells us that tomorrow has enough worries of its own. It also advises us not to be anxious about anything. So, again I ask, why are we so intent on getting to tomorrow today?

The same thing can be true in our Christian life. We can spend so much time looking forward to our eternal life that we forget to live each moment here on earth. Life can be a tightrope. We don’t want to idealize living here on earth and loose our focus on God and eternity, but we don’t want to be so eternally focused that we ignore the gift God is giving us today. If you think about it, each and every day, is in fact, one small piece of our eternal existence. We need to savor each day and learn to live in the moment. Each time we say the Lord’s prayer, we say these words, “Give us this day our daily bread.” These words should be a reminder to slow down to enjoy the world God has made and to ask Him for the spiritual sustenance to get through whatever  today brings our way.

We cannot relive the past, it is over. We cannot live in the future because it hasn’t arrived, nor is it promised to us. Today is the moment we must live in. How will we spend it, and what part will God play in this day? You may be tempted to say, I don’t want to savor this moment because I am unhappy, depressed, sick, in pain or near death. Perhaps you have recently lost your job, or you don’t have enough money to pay your bills. Perhaps you just suffered through a difficult divorce. Perhaps you are reading this in prison. The reality is, we cannot escape the present. It is all we have.

When we slow down enough to invite Jesus into our current moment, He can supply us the peace that only He can give. We should not allow our fast paced world to steal this moment from us. He taught us not to be afraid and not to be anxious. So, whether today is a good day, or a difficult one, it will be over before you know it. God wants us to find joy in all of our circumstances. Ecclesiastes 8:15 invites us to find joy in the moment so that it will accompany us in the toil of our limited days of life.

The 59th Street Bridge Song, by Simon & Garfunkel told us to slow down, we’re moving too fast. It encouraged us to make the morning last. We should all heed this advice.  Let’s look for joy in the present moment and give thanks to God for all He has given to us. And, no matter what today brings, let’s always rejoice in the good news of Romans 5:8 which states, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” That truth alone ought to brighten up any day!

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of today. Thank you for the breath that fills my lungs and for life itself. Please don’t let my regrets from yesterday or my anticipation of tomorrow cause me to miss out on the joy you have in store for me today. Amen!

AMDG

One of my all time favorite songs is TODAY by John Denver. It ties is so very well with today’s message. Click the link, close your eyes, enjoy the song, and reflect on the many blessings of this day!

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Brian Pusateri

Brian is a Christian author and speaker. Brian, a lifelong Catholic, felt his life was forever changed when God spoke to his heart while attending an eight day silent Christian retreat in November of 2011. Soon after that retreat Brian founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. With the God inspired message of mercy and unconditional love that was placed on his heart during that retreat, Brian has been impacting others all over the country and around the world with his weekly letters, his talks, and his all day Christian retreats. In June of 2014, Brian’s life was again impacted in a very dramatic way when his eyesight suddenly became permanently impaired. The initial diagnosis was Multiple Scleroses (MS) but in December of 2019 the diagnosis was corrected to MOG antibody disease, a rare neurological disease. This health challenge has only served to draw Brian closer to God and bolster the importance of this timely yet ageless message.

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