Two experiences several years ago caused me to pause not only my body, but my mind as well. As a pastor, I often find myself stuck in “hurry” mode, which causes me to miss the precious moments God intended for me to notice. These two sobering experiences changed my perspective on the pace of life and ministry.
The first occurred at a local diner while I was having breakfast with a friend. From my booth, I had a clear view of the entrance. Out of my peripheral vision, I noticed a middle-aged man approach the glass door. He reached for the handle but missed it by about a foot, fumbling for nearly fifteen seconds before finally finding his grip. At first, I thought it was odd, but as he entered, the waitress gently took his arm to lead him to a table. I realized then that he was almost blind.
In an instant, I felt both compassion for the man and gratitude for my own sight. I would have missed that profound moment had I been in a mental rush. Hurry is an enemy of spiritual growth, and cultivating a slower pace for leadership transformation can help us find peace amid uncertainty.
When I arrived at the office an hour later, the second experience forced me again to push my mental pause button.
The older daughter of one of the admin staff at the church took care of a young boy confined to a wheelchair. His body is broken, he can’t speak, he drools, but his mind remains intact. She had left him alone in his wheelchair for a few moments while she went into the office conference room. I stood at the end of the hall and noticed him alone. I walked up to him, patted him on shoulder and said something like, “You’re a bit wet. That rain is a mess out there, isn’t it?” As drool dripped off his lips, he responded with a loud grunt, the best his body would allow him to articulate.
As I reflected on these two experiences, I was reminded of a concept that author Phil Yancey described in one of his books as “time between time,” a concept also called statio (read more about statio here). He explained that he tries to discipline himself to mentally pause between each day’s activity to reflect over what he just experienced and to prepare his heart for what comes next.
My encounter with a blind man and a boy with a broken body reminded me of those moments in time—statio, the “time between time”—that are often pregnant with meaning if I don’t rush through them.
Leaders are always looking ahead for the next hill to climb. But sometimes we must pause and make ourselves fully present in the moment so we don’t miss God’s subtle, but important lessons.
How have you learned to keep hurry from robbing you of those special moments?
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This article originally appeared on CharlesStone.com and is reposted here by permission.
