If there’s one thing this pandemic / panna cotta / panoramic [whatever you want to call it] has taught me is that it’s okay to slow down. Before March last year, slowing down was something I avoided, and when forced to do it, it often felt uncomfortable. Having no choice but to slow down, I realised I had been taking my time and abilities for granted. It’s so easy to get carried away with the idea that “if I am busy, then I am important”— taking on more work, fully booking weekends etc. In the past, my body or emotional state would practically be shutting down for me to realise that I needed to change pace. I would attempt to “power through it”, but in the end, I was forced to slow down due to illness. And the cycle would continue again and again. However, this time round I gained a whole new perspective—doing less does not necessarily mean we stop doing difficult work. During my time of slowing down, I’ve accomplished more and taken on more challenging tasks. 

I’ve spent the better part of this year making some changes to my routine. The first thing I did was get rid of all the needless distractions that had been adding stress but did nothing to help me be productive with important things. I also started re-evaluating what truly mattered. My go-to scripture during this time was Matthew 6:33 – Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. The key for me was making sure my mind was set on the things above, or in other words, making sure I was seeking first the Kingdom of God. Putting God first in my life, filling my thoughts with His desires and serving and obeying Him in everything.

Sometimes, the best path to being spiritually renewed is through slowing down. Maybe it is time for you to relax more, to rediscover your strength in Christ. In doing this, you’ll find you are redeeming time more effectively than before. And remember…

“Slowing down does not indicate that you are giving up. It simply means that your soul is seeking some well earned recharge.”