[Cue the peppy infomercial music]

  • Do you find yourself constantly on the go but never getting anywhere?
  • Is your plate already full with more being piled on it?
  • Are you doing more but feel like you’re doing less?
  • Are you wanting to speed through this infomercial because you don’t feel you have the time?

Before we head back to this episode of Trailer Park Makeover, let me share an incredible secret that will transform your work, your life, your habits, and actually make you more productive! It’s not a secret for going faster or getting a bigger plate. It’s an ancient secret long forgotten by too many.

Slow down.

I’m not selling you an eight-part video series (complete with workbook and stylish coffee mug) on time management. I’m not hawking a questionable diet supplement to boost your energy far beyond the dreams of the Red Bull marketing department. I’m not selling anything. I’m begging you: Please slow down.

Yes, it seems counterintuitive, but trust me, it works. I’m not just a spokesman; I have fully bought into this principle. I have a full-time position publishing Bible study resources. I am an interim pastor. I write a blog. I spend time with my family. I sleep eight hours every night. And with all this, I still have time to eat and even brush my teeth.

I’ve learned to slow down. And you can too.

The secret is to start your day slow. Some of you may think you’re already doing that, lumbering through the house like a slow-witted zombie before the morning coffee kicks in, but I’m referring to starting your day with God. Don’t rush through it. Take your time to read Scripture and have a leisurely conversation with God.

THAT’S NICE, BUT I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!!

Yes. You. Do. You always have time for what is truly important to you.

You have a lot of “must do” things on your agenda that are not “must dos.” Everything screams of its own self-importance and you feel the “tyranny of the urgent,” but a lot of things can be put off—and some can even be put off permanently.

I’ve made my time alone with God each day a “must do”—and it’s made all the difference. I don’t rush through it; in fact, on most mornings, this time has grown to an hour or so. I don’t say that to sound extra spiritual, but over time, my interest and enjoyment in this time of reading and praying has only grown.

How can I afford an hour? From a purely human perspective, I can’t. But as I give this time to God, He always gives back to me. I am more focused when I work. Interruptions feel less intrusive. I am not compelled to stress or worry. And at the end of the day, I actually feel like I’ve had a productive day. For real.

Jesus’ promise from the Sermon on the Mount rings true. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matt. 6:33).

  • When you’re compelled to worry or stress about a task or deadline, slow down. Seek God. Spend time with Him in His Word “and all these things will be provided for you.”
  • When you feel harried and rushed, slow down. Seek God. Spend time with Him in His Word “and all these things will be provided for you.”

It takes discipline—chiefly the discipline of saying no to a few things. But when you say yes to Jesus and time invested with Him, your day will be more productive.

Still not convinced? Consider this: Jesus crammed a lifetime of ministry into three years, yet what did He do? He slowed down and talked with His Father. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying” (Mark 1:35).

Now what are you waiting for? Get busy and slow down.

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This post supports the study “The Benefit of Spiritual Disciplines” in Bible Studies for Life and YOU.

Podcast

Join Lynn Pryor and Chris Johnson as they discus this topic: