It isn’t uncommon on a dual highway to see people travel six to ten miles above the speed limit. Some will even travel even faster. No doubt each of these who swerve between cars, in and out of lanes at a rate of speed much higher than designated safe, are in a rush to get to somewhere quickly. They may be late for an appointment, work, or just want to get past the traffic first.
Other times as you travel the highways, particularly in the morning, you may witness a person putting on make-up, combing their hair, or even brushing their teeth! It seems totally absurd that someone would leave their home so late they can’t finish their personal morning grooming in the bathroom; but find it necessary to drive with their knees, or finish ‘getting done’ at a stop light or going down the road!
Our lives seem to be lived by a ticking clock, with only five seconds to spare no matter what the event before us! This seems to apply to every aspect of our lives, from getting up in the morning, to flying to work, getting as much done as possible in that arena, only to finally make it home to rush through dinner (or needing to stop at a take-out to supply the family with their next meal), to rushing out again to sports events our children participate in, or appointments or other obligations to which we’ve committed, all the while glancing at the phone for the time, so we aren’t late to our next engagement!
Is this the way God wants us to live? Are we setting ourselves up for an anxiety attack or worse a heart attack? Are we stressing ourselves so much we don’t even allow time to think? We fret from moment to moment on a racetrack we have created (even if unintentionally) trying to accomplish as much possible, in as little time as possible.
In addition to what all this stress can do to us physically, I wonder about the impact it has on our families and spiritual lives. Are we taking the time to nurture relationships with our loved ones? When we are so much on the move, our minds have little time to rewind and reset to be still long enough to enjoy those precious moments with our children, spouse or Savior. These are moments that can never be reclaimed. We are so busy being busy, we are missing the ‘now’ in our lives and theirs!
Our children continue to grow even when we aren’t looking. They can be involved in numerous activities, yet, if we don’t spend personal time with them, what example have we set and more than that, how can you nurture a relationship? Simply being ‘taxi driver’ and meal provider isn’t the same as sitting down, breathing for a moment and then having conversation with them.
We miss what is on their minds, hearts, and in their world, or problems they are facing or to take note of successes they have had. The world is cheating us of the relationships that make our lives worthwhile, including our relationship with Christ.
Are we ‘pushing the river” or trying to ‘paddle upstream’ while staying on the fast track of life? How’s that working? I encourage you to share! I think we all try at some level to accomplish this. What discoveries have you made?
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