“Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” – The Red Queen, Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
Do we really want our lives dictated by the Red Queen? Whether or not we want it, we all too often live it. We run as fast as we can, packing our calendars down to the minute, shutting out time for prayer, solitude, relationships, and relaxation.
And then we wonder why we aren’t getting anywhere.
But Jesus modeled a different principle. Every time he had to “get somewhere else” – that is, every time he faced a major change, decision, or crisis – he slowed down:
* He went into the desert for forty days before entering his public ministry.
* He spent the night in prayer before selecting the apostles.
* He retreated to Gethsemane before facing the suffering of Calvary.
Why is slowing down so important to moving forward? Because when we slow down, we regain a true perspective of the situation. When we slow down, we can refocus on our priorities. When we slow down, we can hear ourselves think. When we slow down, we can hear God speak.
* Who have you been modeling your life after? The Red Queen, or Jesus Christ? Why?
* Are you facing a major change, decision, or crisis? If so, what will you do to carve out time to slow down so that you can spend unhurried time in prayer?
* Do you need to make any lifestyle changes in order to slow down the pace of your life in general to make time for prayer, solitude, relationships, and relaxation?
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