“Hurry up!” I called frantically to my children as we rushed out the door.
Grabbing my keys and phone, I headed for the car. By the time we reached town, everyone was stressed and cranky—and we still waited twenty minutes for our appointment.
We live in a society that rushes, rushes, rushes. But in reality, what's the hurry? In the grand scheme of things, what is so important that it compels us to exist in perpetual haste? Is all this stuff we strive after worth all the constant anxiety?
The story of Mary and Martha is a good example. Martha was like many of us—running around doing all the work while Mary sat and listened to Jesus. Martha thought working for Jesus was what He expected. She even got a bit indignant with Him and demanded He tell Mary to help—but He didn’t. Jesus saw that Mary had put Him first. If Martha had done the same, He would have been happy to take care of dinner.
We could all learn to say no to a few more things. Often, we stress ourselves out by overbooking our diary and then having to blast through the day from one thing to the next, never appreciating the beauty around us. We become so focused on the next appointment that we miss the little moments of pleasure in the present. Jesus wants us to enjoy our life. When I'm rushed, I don’t.
We all have chores, but we need to maintain balance. It’s good to plan, but I’ve found it helpful to allow time for the unexpected. Spending more time doing things that satisfy and have value weeds out the unnecessary chaos and leads to an enjoyable life from which we won’t need a vacation.
What are some steps you can take to slow down?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Melissa Sturt is a mother of three children. She lives in Queensland, Australia, with her wonderful husband, Mat. She loves bush-walking, reading, growing flowers, writing, and sharing coffee with her friends. She hopes her articles will bless and encourage others.