Slowing Life Down

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Ryan&Amber2013

Puritan Board Senior
As I continue to mature in life, I see more and more a connection between the busyness of life and the lack of wisdom that brings. When I'm hurrying to accomplish things, when I have many tasks before me, when I have much talking to do, and it has to happen quickly, and many other things that are common to the busyness of the average American life, I find that I so often lack the wisdom that I should have.

If I had the time to really think through what I was about to say, it would come out better and be more refined. But rather, I say something, then think back on what I said, and regret that I did not say it better. It even happens on this board. Sometimes I'll say something to express my mind, with little time to really reflect on and meditate on what I am saying, and when I eventually come back to rereading what I originally posted, I see how I would have worded things differently if I had more time.

For me, this way of life that is always rushed and leading to a lack of wisdom, is something I really think I should consider changing. Even for the sake of godliness alone, I feel as if I need a slower pace of life, where I can exercise great wisdom in all areas of life, where I am not making spur-of-the-moment decisions, where I do not have enough time to think through things clearly, etc. I just don't think life was designed to be this way.

Can anyone relate?
 
Sorry, but even when you slow down and think things over carefully, and do less and relax more, you still wind up making bad decisions. At least I do. Some of my best decisions were spur-of-the-moment snap decisions, where I didn't have time to make mistakes by thinking, or over-thinking.
Strange, even when I agonize for days over something, I wind up doing exactly what my first instinct was anyway, but with all the suffering of wondering for days whether I should.
 
Can anyone relate?

Yes, in fact, I was talking to a couple of friends about this very thing earlier. I am increasingly of the opinion that being crazy busy, especially in religious matters, is a dangerous snare. There are young people I know who do not have a life because they are constantly running to and organising things relating to Christian gatherings that they have neither time for their studies, for exercise, for recreation - or even for private worship.

While Sabbatarians often get accused of being legalists, more often than not, the opposite is true. It is those who say that every day is the Lord's Day that bind burdens on others too grievous to be borne. One of my friends told his minister that he had no time to go to the gym because he was so involved in a church plant. As a result, he was accused of loving bodily exercise more than God.

In recent months, I have, by the grace of God, been making considerable progress in sanctification and getting victory over besetting sins. There were three main components in this development. The first, and most important, is more time spent in meditation - something that you cannot do if you are crazy busy all the time. The second is more physical exercise (I now go to the gym four times a week). The third is more recreation (I have increased my attendance at local football [soccer] games). The latter two things may not sound particularly pious, but I am realising now that I would have done a lot more for God had I followed the sixth commandment more carefully rather than the rash zeal of crazy busyness.
 
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