Taking Our Time

Do you ever get the feeling you’re behind?

Maybe like me, you are not even sure what you are behind on, or what invisible thing “out there” you are competing with, but somehow you just feel…too late.

It seems you’ve already missed the cutoff window for some really important thing, so you rush and push harder and faster to try to quell that anxious feeling eating at you inside.

Let’s just take our time.

I was recently listening to a guy tell his story of his first traumatic experience with scuba diving.

On the first dive with his instructor, they were barely 10 feet underwater when he had a panic attack.

The instructor gave him a thumbs up to let him know that they were headed back up to the surface.

As soon as they got above water, she rested her hands gently on his shoulders, and with the perfect blend of gentleness, calmness and confidence she slowly said,

“We are going to take our time.

We are just going to take our time.”

Immediately, his body felt safe and relaxed, and he knew he could try again.

As I listened to him, something in me cracked and tears sprang to my eyes.He gently and confidently leads.

Not necessarily because I am feeling intense overwhelm in my own life at this moment, but more because it seemed like this beautiful invitation to a different pace of life than the world pushes.

It was almost as though God Himself was laying His hands on my shoulders and He was slowly saying that same phrase over me.

“Hey, sweet girl. I’m right here with you. We are going to take our time. I haven’t asked you to anxiously worry and hurry. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Ask me for help. Trust me to lead you.”

He gently and confidently leads.

When you get overwhelmed and start to think it’s on you to hurry and figure it all out, immediately stop and surrender those feelings in prayer to Him.

You have a good shepherd who is with you, gently and confidently leading you.

Your role is to lean on Him with full surrendered trust and obey what He shows you to do.

Let His calming presence be your confidence to just take your time.