No Time Like the Present

Hurry has been a temptation in each season of my (Gem) life. It is an unbidden tendency that can run in the background of just about any situation. It has showed up in my negative self-talk and in my too-high expectations of myself and those around me.

It can be easy to find ourselves under the pressure of all we do for others. Sometimes, it’s not even that heroic. We are simply under the demands that we place on ourselves—demands that may or may not have anything to do with what others want or need.

My life has been one long lesson in patience, trust, and grace. So…

• What if I had a broader view of time?
• What if I thought seasonally as well as daily?
• What if the time I am given is actually enough?
• What if I could live at the pace of grace?

All throughout nature we see examples of process: cycles of life, death, and renewal. We can have such a view of our own lives. Each of us moving beautifully through our own processes, giving grace to ourselves along the way. What if we allowed the seasons of our lives to ebb and flow? How might we move more graciously through our days?

A while back, a wise friend of mine shared, “Life does not come at me. It comes to me.”

Life does not come at me. It comes to me.

Quite a few years ago I stumbled upon an invention called The Present, a wall clock with no numbers, only one hand, and a color wheel for its face. The hand of the clock takes one year to make its way in a complete circle. Just looking at the way the colors fade from one to the next helps me to take a deep breath. Since then, the company has added two other clocks called Day and Moon.

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT)

With the images of The Present in mind (see link above), let’s ponder a few questions.

• How do the blending of color and season affect your perception of time?
• How does this compare with your view of a traditional clock that has numbers denoting hours?
• How can this contrast help you regulate or slow your inner pace?

As you give some thought to your own inner pace…

• What do you notice?
• What is the speed of your thoughts? Your heart?
• Do you need to pick up the pace or slow it down?

Giving attention to our inner pace can open us up to a whole new level of grace—both grace embraced and grace extended.

Spend just a few moments with Jesus in silence. Linger in these questions with Him. Allow Him to show you what grace He may have for you.

Remember, life does not come at you, it comes to you. What will you do with your time today?