Slow Down!

Slow Down!

by Greg Baird

Over the past couple of years Ive been trying to intentionally slow down the pace of work & life. Our society today leans heavily toward break-neck speed. We over schedule ourselves & family, are instantly accessible to anyone who wants us, and have so many sources of information & entertainment begging for our attention that its not even funny!

And I havent even mentioned the demands of work, yet.

My tendency was to constantly be trying to produce, whether that was at work or at home, and thats not a healthy way to live. I needed to slow down. Here are a few areas I try to be intentional about this:
Eating. Sounds silly, but if youre like I was you might find yourself eating in front of your computer, grabbing a nutrition bar instead of a healthy lunch, getting dinner through the drive through and eating it on the way to the midweek service . . . you get the idea. There are times when these are necessary, but they should be the exception and not the rule. I have tried to make it a point to sit down, even for a few minutes, and use the time not only for eating but for taking a mental break or engaging with someone else.
Exercising. For all of use 40+ers, you know the importance of maintaining a good exercise routine. With the demands of ministry, this went right out the back door for me. But I need to exercise as much because it provides a mental think time as for the physical benefits. And what I found is that I dont have to take it from my work time (heaven forbid!) I should always be able to find 30-60 minutes in a 24 hour block for this priority.
Evaluating. What are my defined priorities? On a personal level, Ive tried to adopt the Luke 2:52 model where it says Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. This means I want to grow mentally, physically, spiritually and relationally. And since I know that growth happens daily, and not in a day, I need to make these things daily habits. How do I know if Im doing this if Im not evaluating? So I try regularly to ask myself questions like: What have I learned lately? Am I reading a chapter a day like Ive committed to?
Am I meeting my exercise goals? Maintaining a healthy weight? Getting the sleep I need?
Am I feeding myself a healthy spiritual diet? How am I being challenged spiritually? How am I practically living out my faith not as a pastor but as a Christ-follower?
What relationships have I invested in today? Am I following well? Am I leading well?

Embracing. By this I mean there is so much more to life than our work and ministry that I was missing, or at least not embracing as I should. Personal pursuits, family events and so much more. Oh, I was at almost every event, but I wasnt always 100% present. For me, it was hard to fully focus on the Saturday family event when I knew I had 1500 kids showing up Monday morning for our big Summer event. But I try now to fully embrace what Im doing right now. I realized what I was saying, essentially, was that the event that was occupying my mind was more important than the people I was presently with. But if I manage myself and my work properly, then that event will take care of itself and I can be free to be present with whatever is happening right now.

Slowing down is always a challenge. We ministry leader types seem to have a particular problem with this. But it is so important to realize that it is a must. Jesus did have you noticed how many times it says he left to be alone & pray or rest? so why in the world would I ever think I should follow any other model?

How about you? How do you find ways to slow down?

 

Greg is a Childrens Ministry veteran with over 20 years ministry experience. Greg has had the privilege of serving in four San Diego area churches, including under the leadership of both John Maxwell and David Jeremiah. He continues to fulfill his life calling through the ministry of Kidmin360, offering an experienced voice in equipping and connecting Childrens Ministry leaders around the country and around the world.
More from Greg Baird or visit Greg at kidmin360.com