YOU CAN’T HURRY GOD

Have you ever noticed that God is not in a hurry?

I have been in a hurry most of my life. “Hurry up!” might have been the command my dad barked the most at my brothers and me. I found myself hurrying my kids the same way and had to consciously work to stop the pattern. Hurry backfires. It just isn’t compatible with love.

All my worst moments are when I am in a hurry—late for an appointment, trying to cram too much into my day. I am short, tense, and easily angered at interruptions or people slowing me down. The more I hurry, the less I am like Jesus. Which of the fruit of the Spirit is hurry compatible with? Uh, none.

The Speed of Love

Humans walk at three miles an hour. That’s the speed of love. God became a human and walked around as his main form of transportation. He walked with people. Seeing people in need and stopping for them is easier at three miles per hour than it is screaming past at eighty.

God walks “slowly” because he is love. If he is not love he would have gone much faster. Love has its speed. It is an inner speed. It is a spiritual speed. It is a different kind of speed from the technological speed to which we are accustomed. It is “slow” yet it is lord over all other speeds since it is the speed of love.

Kosuke Koyama, Three Mile an Hour God

Slowing to walk with God

Maybe instead of getting God to speed up, we need to slow down. Part of learning to practice the way of Jesus is practicing moving at a slower pace. Most of the miracles of Jesus started as interruptions. If you don’t have time for interruptions, you don’t have time for miracles.

Sunday I am going to share some ways I have been practicing slowing down and creating more margin in my life for God and people. I’m not good at it yet, but I am practicing. This Pause app from Ransomed Heart is my favorite. Android users Click here.