Slow Down...Work Ahead

Our new bridge at the end of Lakeshore Drive is taking forever to build. As I rode my bike yesterday I passed through the construction area and a sign flashed, "Slow Down...Work Ahead." "Who has time to slow down?" I thought to myself. Even on my bike I try to pedal a little faster just to see my mph flash on the radar sign. Those nagging signs have been there for months and are just slowing down anyone who drives by.

I was working with one of our staff this past week and had the chance to listen to how crazy their school schedule had been and how little spare time they actually had to be still. It seemed like every second of the day was already preplanned for them. Anybody relate to that one?

Philippians 1:6 says "For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Have you and I thought lately about the fact that we need to slow down our life long enough to allow God to work? After all, we are in the process of becoming more like Christ every day the sun rises, but if our heart isn't set up to be a construction zone, we could be in trouble.

Here are a few things to slow down and check:

• Have you thanked God lately for how He is at work molding and shaping you to be more like His Son? If not, tell Him now and stop long enough to consider His work. We will be a finished product when Christ returns. Until then, be patient and teachable.


• Do you have a time built into your schedule every day where you can sit for a few minutes and be still before the Lord? We all have 86,400 seconds in a day. Some of those should be set aside to be quiet. Schedule and keep it.


• Slow down long enough to recognize that God is at work in you and through you. Don't miss the opportunity to love someone today by just taking an extra minute to ask how they are doing and what you can pray for.

This past week in church, I was reminded of my private disciplines that no one else sees (giving, praying, and fasting). Private disciplines are just what they mean: private...things that no one else sees (or should see). We practice these things without an audience and as we do, we are rewarded by God. The reward is that our faith will grow because we see His hand at work and trust more.

Slow down, there is work ahead in your life. Stop running so fast, look to the Lord, and listen to what He is trying to tell you. He is working at building you into Christ likeness. Shift down, put on the brakes at some point today and consider how God is at work. Don't miss the flashing signs. They are there to help.