The Practice of Slowing

No one even seems to notice anymore that this default setting we are talking about here is directly at odds with the counsel of scripture, which tells us that it is important, not only to learn how to slow down, but to stop (remember that Sabbath is part of the commandments?).  How does that set with you?  If it makes you uncomfortable, you may have already identified part of the problem.  Slow down? Really?  One very wise person once told someone that the most important thing they could do for their spiritual lives was to "relentlessly eliminate hurry from your life."  How does that sit with you?  Are you up to the task?

Psychologists have actually identified a condition that is called "hurry sickness."  Here are some of the symptoms:

• Speeding up - haunted by the fear that you don't have enough time

• Feel annoyed if you have to wait for much of anything

• You always check the length of lines in the store and calculate which will move the fastest.

How you doing?  

Now, can you think of anything that really matters, that you really love, that really will matter to you at the end of the day or the end of your life, that comes because of your ability to rush through it?  Then why do we do it?  What is that about?  Why do we cling to this?  That's what Pastor Jon explores with us this morning.  If you would like to listen to the sermon again, or perhaps for the first time, you can go to our sermon library by clicking here.  (Or you can go to the livestream version by clicking here)