Have You Ever Felt Rushed?

Ever feel like life is just go, go, go—like if you slow down for even a second, you might fall behind?

As parents, leaders, or just people trying to make things happen, there’s this constant pressure to keep moving FORWARD! 

We’ve got places to be, things to do, people to see.

But HERE IS MY POINT… if we’re not careful, we’ll move so fast that we leave what matters most behind.

I know this because, well… I literally did.

It was “The Great Shoe Mystery”…

A few years ago, every time I cleaned out our SUV, I kept finding piles of my kids’ shoes in the backseat… 

I mean, every time. It was like a lost-and-found bin back there.

And every time we were getting ready to leave the house, my kids would suddenly realize—

“Oh no! My shoes are still in the car!”

At first, I laughed it off. Why do they keep leaving their shoes in the dang car?! Kids, right?

But then it hit me.

The reason my kids had unintentionally started a shoe donation center in the back of the car wasn’t because they were forgetful—it was because I was in a hurry!

Every time we pulled into the driveway, I was so focused on getting the family inside at NASCAR speed…

Grab the keys, the bags, the baby in the car seat—hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!

Instead of taking the time to gather their stuff…

(or, you know, actually wear their shoes like they weren’t raised in Arkansas where going barefoot is totally normal)…

…they just left them behind because they didn’t want to slow me down.

Man… that one stung.

And the truth is, I don’t even know what I was in a hurry for in the first place?!

It’s not like it was pouring rain or we had an emergency—I was just caught in a pattern of getting things done so I could move on to the next task.

I had to repent. Not just to them, but to Jesus.

I had been so caught up in moving to the next thing that I wasn’t leading my family at the right pace.

And the truth is, when we live life at an unnecessary speed, we don’t just leave behind shoes—we leave behind peace, patience, and sometimes even the people we love the most.

So why should we SLOW DOWN? Because Jesus walked… and if it was good enough for Him, it’s good enough for us.

One thing I love about Jesus is that He never rushed. 

Ever. 

(Seriously, go find a place in the Gospels where Jesus was sprinting to His next meeting with James and John, double-fisting a Red Bull, and stress-texting Peter to set up a Zoom call. You won’t find it. )

(Not once did He say, “Hurry up, Thomas—we don’t have time for your doubts today!” )

And what does scripture tell us to do instead?

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10



There’s a real danger in possessing the blessing but moving too fast to appreciate it. 

Jesus is the example…

Jesus walked everywhere.

Jesus took time for people. 

Jesus noticed the moments that others were too busy to see.

And if the Son of God Himself didn’t feel the need to run from place to place, why do we?

So with that being said… three questions:

#1-Where in your life are you moving too fast and you need to BE STILL?

#2-What (or who) have you been unintentionally leaving behind?

#3-How can you slow down and actually enjoy the moments God has given you?

It’s crazy how we can be surrounded by blessings—family, opportunities, even answered prayers—but be in such a hurry that we don’t actually experience the joy of them. 

Prayer…

Lord, help me SLOW DOWN. I don’t want to be in such a rush that I miss the moments that matter. 

Teach me to walk at Your pace, to be present, and to trust that I don’t have to run after what You’ve already set in place for me.

Help me not just to receive Your blessings, but to actually enjoy them. 

Thank You for leading me with grace. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.