Time to Slow Down

Luke 12:27 -28  “Think about the lilies. They grow and become beautiful, not because they work hard or strive to clothe themselves. Yet not even Solomon, wearing his kingly garments of splendour, could be compared to a field of lilies. If God can clothe the fields and meadows with grass and flowers, can he not clothe you as well, O struggling one with so many doubts

Yesterday I was feeling pretty low.   I have no real explanation for why I was feeling the way I was.   Have you ever had one of those days when you just “feel” like you are sad?

I don’t often feel that way, but when those days come, man are they tough.   Nothing anyone says or does can seem to lift you out of the funk.  I mean sure you might laugh for a minute or enjoy a brief conversation but as soon as that is over – bam straight back to the sad.

As I was driving to work, listening to the radio, the announcer was telling a story of something great that had happened to her yesterday and it took her by surprise.   It was only a really small thing, but it gave her such joy.    They then went on to discuss how we miss the small moments.

I began to think about that and I realised that far too often we pay greater attention to the things that bring us down and don’t focus on the things that make us happy.   They very often come in the form of a thousand little things.   That belly laugh you had at a joke you were told.   That tiny smile that came across your face as you see a photograph of a small child.   I think because they are tiny things, we dismiss them as unimportant – but – I have learned that they are very important.

We live our lives so fast – running from this thing to the next and we are not mindful of each and every moment.   Have you ever driven to work or to the shops and suddenly you are there and you don’t remember the trip there?    Have you ever gotten to the end of a day and cannot think of one thing that you have done in that day?    The reason those things happen to us is because our minds have already raced ahead to the next thing we have to do and we are not living in the moment.

I honestly believe that we, as human beings, live too much of our lives on automatic pilot.  Even in our conversations with each other.   Stop and think for one moment – when was the last time you were actually present in the conversation you were having?   I mean you actually were listening to the person who was speaking and you heard everything they said.   You were not half listening and half formulating your response.  

Here is a little challenge –  write down on a piece of paper each thing that made you smile, laugh or just made you feel good.   It doesn’t have to be a big thing – just each small thing.  Then think on them, not the tough stuff.   As you drive or walk to the office or out of your work place, pay attention to what is going on around you.   Stop looking at your phone at everyone else’s great day and start experiencing your own.    Life is too short and busy and we cannot live our lives thinking “when I get time I will……”

Start now…