I had a conversation this weekend with a guy that has had a heart attack, cancer and other medical conditions. He has had many challenges and has fought through them all. God still has a plan for his life.
One thing he shared with me is that a friend of his had moved to Australia and lived there for several years. When she came back she noticed right away that life here in Tuscarawas County is much different than in Australia. She made the comment that they know how to live life and enjoy it down under. She could see that we are way to busy working and running around to stop and enjoy life. She had a different perspective, because of the different culture.
When was the last time you just stopped and enjoyed the world around you? When was the last time you took off work early to spend time with your wife or kids? When was the last time you went on a walk in the woods? When was the last time you slept in? When was the last time you took a real vacation? When was the last time you ate together as a family?
I could go on with that, but I won’t. I also had many conversations with people lately that are feeling overwhelmed and worn out. They are working long hours and running their kids all over the place. They are not getting enough sleep and not eating right. Why do we make our lives so busy? Why do we miss the important stuff? Why do we live beyond our means? Why do we work so hard?
We all would answer these questions differently, because we are all in different circumstances. But why does it so often take an illness or an accident to slow us down? My friend told me that it took these physical things to slow him down. Why can’t we just slow down and enjoy life every once in a while?
My challenge to you today or tomorrow is to relax, enjoy life, look around you and appreciate the good things in your life. Make a list of everything you are thankful for and then go on a walk. Ask God to help you slow down, so you don’t miss something He has for you. Slow down to spend more time with your Heavenly Father and to listen to what He has for you. I believe we have divine moments every day that we miss, because we are stressed out, busy or preoccupied. By slowing down we can speed up our spiritual growth.