day 1418: Learnings From The Camino (Final part): Slowing Down

“Be still, and know that I am God!"

This is my last post on my learning from the Camino.  There are so many more that I could write, but we will let those show up when they are supposed to do so.  This final learning was the best of all for me. I needed it, so maybe that is why it was there to be found.

Something good happens when we slow down.  We see things we haven't seen before, hear things that we normally wouldn't and consider thoughts that are longer and more complex.  When we rush by life and all that is around us we not only miss important things, we also fail to connect with what is most important, and those are the people around us.  On the Camino de Santiago it is impossible to not find time of stillness, quiet and contemplation. Even on the days when the finish starts to look better than the journey, there is an ability to observe and converse in a way that we don't in our everyday lives.  I talked. I watched. I listened.  I smelled.  I stopped.  If we slow down, just a bit, we will find that there is way more going on around us than we realize.  A pause or just a decrease of pace, for just a while, can open up new opportunities that are all around us but not obvious.  Slow it down for a bit and watch what happens.  The Camino teaches how good it can be.

"Be still and know that I am God" or  "Hey you, slow down and try a new way". We can't speed up God so why don't we slow to His speed and see what it is like there?  We don't because we either don't trust or we don't believe.  Today, we are going to be challenged in our work to speed up and solve problems and create ideas and plans. But, we also have some of those in front of us that we know we aren't up to and don't have the foggiest of ideas on how we will not only solve, but even survive.  This is God's territory and time that we slow ourselves down to follow Him!  The way forward is always there, it is what we need to experience and know before we go that God has in His hands!

Reference:  Psalm 46:10 (New Living Translation)

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day 76: Break Time

We all need break times at work. Most states legislate that anyone who is on the clock must take a morning break, a lunch/dinner break and an afternoon break. Even 10 minutes sometimes to sit and clear the head is a good thing. When I want to take a break I like to go outside and take a walk or just go somewhere where I can look out the window undisturbed for a few minutes. I often notice though, that even in those quiet times my mind does not slow down and while I may be quiet, I am not being still. There is a skill to being still. Being still means letting everything that is on your mind go, letting the pressure dissipate, shutting off the conversation that is running in your head, taking deep breaths to release the stress that has been building up all day long. If you can find a place of stillness then you can begin to find some peace. We are told in Psalm 46:10 to be still and silent and to know that God is God. If we want to maximize our break time and find the right mindset throughout the day, we can get there by finding the time to find stillness and silence in our minds and practice our thoughts towards knowing that God is there for us and that He is our Almighty who can do awesome things. We are in a hurry, we are in a rush, we don't slow down to listen, appreciate the moment, or catch our breath. But we need to do so. We need to find the stillness to know that He is God. So today, on that break time, see if you can find the silence and stillness. Take a few moments today to get in that state of mind and bask in the knowledge of God. Don't worry, the world won't fall apart if you add these precious still minutes to your day. Instead you may find that the day comes back together and you work the rest of the day in a new spirit. That being and example of the spirit that others want for their lives.

Reference: Psalm 46:10 (New Living Testament)