All days aren’t spectacular. Yet, all days are a miracle of their own. How do we balance our perspective with the seemingly boring versus the mystery and awe of a new day? How do we find God through the mundane of everyday life?

There are days that go by quickly that are full of appointments and meetings and I can’t even remember what I’ve done with my day. I get busy with the details, with the lists, and with life that I don’t fully pay attention to those around me. It’s not intentional, I’m just getting things done.

Then, there are days where I am fully aware of what needs to be done and who needs to be seen. I see God in the sunrise, I see Him in the leaves as the wind blows, and I see Him in the smile and the sadness of those around me.

I was thinking about the importance of stopping the other day as I purposefully stopped (fully) at a stop sign right outside our building at work. I’ve seen people fully stop and I’ve seen people just rush on through. I appreciate those who stop and I’m a little frightened by those who don’t stop; afraid of the person walking or the other car coming that they might not see.

When we stop at a stop sign, we slow down our speed, look around in all directions, make sure we’re headed the right way, and proceed when safe and clear. Similarly, when we stop in life, it allows us to slow down, look around in all directions, orient ourselves, and see when it’s safe and clear for us to move ahead with our plans and our day.

Slowing down at the store allows you to see a mom with young children who really needs to go in front of you because her kids are about to have a meltdown. Slowing down in life allows us to evaluate whether this direction in life is still good for us; perhaps we need to recalculate. Again, slowing down gives us time to breathe and realize there are other people walking around us and if we don’t stop, we could not only hurt them but hurt ourselves.

Overall, slowing down allows me to realize that this crazy busy world is not all there is. I’m reminded often in that quiet time that there’s a God that I serve that might have asked me to go in a certain direction. I’m also reminded in the quiet times when it’s time to turn in a different direction. Without stopping I’ll be more likely to miss on where God desires for me to be at any given moment.

What direction in life are you headed right now? Is there a stop sign ahead? In what areas of your life do you need to stop?

© 2019 Susan M. Sims

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