Slow Down & Learn

I like to move quickly; physically and figuratively.  But I am learning there are times when it’s better to go slow.

At the very beginning of my knee recovery, I had a machine to very slowly bend my knee.  It felt good to move my knee slowly.  Now, move slowly has become a mantra for the rest of my recovery.

I am continuing to move better, but slower than I sometimes wish.  At home, I feel I can do more and more-move a bit faster, do a little bit more.  But then I’m exhausted and reminded to slow down.

My doctor understood this.  I am to use crutches and an immobilizer keeping my knee straight when I’m out of the house.  It’s “meant to slow you down”, he said.  Wise doctor.

While moving slowly, I wondered if God possibly allows times, events or seasons in our lives that are meant to slow us down.  Maybe you’re in a season of life now like I am and are frustrated.  If so, be encouraged, learn and grow in this season.  Growing closer to God and developing endurance may be why it is happening.   slow down turtle

The apostle Paul understood this and reminds us all in his letter to the Romans Chapter 5: 3-5

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Our trials and slow seasons help develop endurance and character and strengthen us.

The author of Hebrews understood this too.  In chapter 4 the author describes because of Jesus, we can come directly to God when faced with an endurance testing season:

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.~ Hebrews 4:16, NLT

Coming directly to God is where we can find the grace and help we need.

Again in Hebrews we are reminded from whom we draw our strength and faith from in slowly moving seasons:

…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith ~Hebrews 12:1b-2a

I love the race reference because where are we to look in a race? The finish line.  Who is at our finish line? Jesus.  Keeping our eyes on Him is the best way to run this race, even in a difficult season.

As I move slowly through this season I have learned to follow Jesus for my inspiration, strength and intercession.  In Him, I find the endurance needed for the race ahead.  Just like the turtle vs. the hare, sometimes slow and steady is also the way to follow His footprints in life.

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