Slow Down A Bit
Somewhere along the way, busyness became a badge of honor. Exhaustion became proof of importance. And slowing down started to feel like falling behind. Yet Scripture consistently shows us something different.
Living in such a fast-paced life, it is hard to feel like you ever have enough time to accomplish everything you want to get done in a day—let alone in an entire year. Whether we like it or not, the statement we often hear is true: time waits for no one.
With all we have to do—to provide, to produce, to prepare—many of us feel there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Some of us even resist rest, believing that going to bed too early means we’ve cheated ourselves out of productivity, squeezing every last drop from the day just to stay ahead. But here’s the reality, regardless of what we feel like we have to get done: God never designed life to be lived at a pace that costs us our peace.
Somewhere along the way, busyness became a badge of honor. Exhaustion became proof of importance. And slowing down started to feel like falling behind. Yet Scripture consistently shows us something different. The scripture says it like this:
“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”
Going to a desolate place speaks to intentionality—the conscious decision to remove distractions so that true rest can occur. It is stepping away from noise, expectations, notifications, responsibilities, and even the pressure we place upon ourselves.
Friends, God often invites us to desolate places so that we can finally hear Him. Because clarity rarely comes in chaos. Peace is seldom discovered in rushing. And God’s voice is often heard most clearly in stillness. Throughout Scripture, divine encounters happened away from crowds—Moses on a mountain, Elijah in a cave, Jesus in the wilderness. The desolate place is not abandonment; it is appointment. It is where striving stops and surrender begins.
Many of us are tired not because life demands too much, but because we rarely pause long enough to be renewed. We move from task to task, obligation to obligation, carrying spiritual fatigue while wondering why joy feels distant.
But friends, rest is not laziness—it is obedience. The scripture says it like this:
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Notice the order:
Be still… then know. Sometimes revelation follows rest.
Sometimes direction follows stillness.
Sometimes strength returns only after we slow down.
Friends, what I am saying is this: slow down a bit. Step away from what is urgent so you can reconnect with what is eternal. Accept the invitation to rest in the place of desolation. Because here’s the reality—you don’t have to chase peace—God has already given it to you, all you have to do is choose to be still.
