You are probably not like me. I often have to remind myself when driving on the interstate highway or a multi-lane freeway, “Ron, this is not a race!” It’s not so much I am going fast (which I might be) but that I feel I must get past the car in front of me…as if I were in second place and I needed to finish first.

But today, for some reason, I felt compelled to drive in the slow lane. For us in the United States, that usually means getting in the far right lane and being prepared to drive slower than usual. That is not in my normal nature, but I think God was reminding me of some things.

  1. Life is not a sprint but a marathon. The writer of Ecclesiastes mentioned that as one of the life lessons he had learned—“…the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong…” (Ecclesiastes 9:11 KJV). If we strive and “win” the race without remembering where our strength comes from, we tend to think WE won. Not so.
  2. Sometimes slow is better. As I slipped into the slow lane today, I felt myself relax a bit. My heart rate might have even gone down some. I was no longer in the race, on the fast track. I was reminded of Paul’s words to the Galatians—“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9 KJV). The key words for me…if we faint NOT! Slow down.
  3. I see more when I’m not “racing” through life. If I’m in the fast lane, my focus is on the cars around me. When I slow down, I can enjoy the things beyond the traffic and the highway. God says, “Slow down.” More accurately, He says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 KJV). Another translation says, “Let go of your concerns….”

Remember Mary and Martha, Jesus’ good friends? When the Lord visited them, Martha put herself in the fast lane, preparing the food and, no doubt, tidying the house. Mary just sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to the Master. The account in Luke 10 says Martha was distracted by all the busyness of her life. The Lord said Mary had focused on what was most important. Jesus then told Martha, “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it.”

Now, I can’t guarantee I won’t slip over into the fast lane on my next trek down the highway. However, I will remember to slow down and see all the good things the Lord has for me. I want to choose wisely. I want to fully discover all that the Lord has for me. I’ll spend more time in the slow lane and enjoy the journey. Why don’t you join me there?

God’s best,