The Urgency of Slowing Down: Why Hustle & Miss Glimpses of Glory?

Laura L. Smith’s writing feels like you’re sitting down with a friend over a plate of warm, gooey cinnamon rolls and a Bible. Spend just a few minutes around Laura and it is apparent that she loves God’s Word, and she loves God’s people. She also loves her husband of twenty-nine years and their four young adult kids. Her latest book, The Urgency of Slowing Down, teaches us how to trade hustle culture for the unforced rhythms of grace Jesus has for us. She lives in the charming college town of Oxford, Ohio, and it’s a joy to welcome Laura to the farm’s table today…

Guest Post by Laura Smith

“Have you seen the sunset?” my husband asked as he walked in the door with our youngest son.

“No, should I?” I asked, but I was already wiping my hands on the kitchen towel and

headed outside. Brett wouldn’t have asked that question unless there was something spectacular going on in the sky.

The sun was almost finished with its nightly performance. It sat low, almost touching the horizon. Dark violet, deep tangerine, vivid crimson, all trimmed with gold, illuminated a strip of sky.

I exhaled and turned to go back inside and the tasks at hand. But I felt a tug to stay one more moment, and as I pivoted back toward the magnificent artwork God created that evening, I heard Jesus speak to my soul:

Receive.

Receive. Fully receive this beauty. Don’t take a glance and keep on going about your day, your life.

This. Is. Spectacular.

Here is a glimpse of glory. Hold on to it. Why would you consider walking away?

But we do, don’t we?

We’re so busy going to the next thing and the next that we don’t always take time. In fact, we get in seasons when we rarely pause to receive any of the goodness God puts in front of us.

Our heavenly Father has created so much beauty, so much goodness: the melody of rain falling, the smell of bread baking, the warmth of sunshine on our face, music that makes our feet tap, conversations that nurture us. Are we receiving God’s gifts? Do we make time to receive them? Do we even remember how?

“If we’re too busy scrolling our feeds, trying to get to the next level or step, checking things off our lists, we might just miss these spectacular gifts God intended for us. And wouldn’t that be tragic?“

I don’t want to miss the sunsets or any of the other glorious things God has given me because I don’t think I have time for them. If we’re too busy scrolling our feeds, trying to get to the next level or step, checking things off our lists, we might just miss these spectacular gifts God intended for us. And wouldn’t that be tragic?

Paul wrote to the church of Philippi: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Maybe you’re in a situation that is challenging or painful and you’re struggling to see anything lovely or pure in your life. Paul totally gets that. He experienced shipwreck, rejection, poverty, and wrote this letter from prison. And yet, Paul speaks of a true, inner joy. He says he’s been able to find contentment in every situation—his high highs and low lows (vv. 11–12).

Paul exclaims that the secret is Jesus. That we can do all things through Christ’s strength—even find complete joy in a jail cell. Because Jesus is good and loving and full of light and truth.

Something lovely to think about could be the evening stars. Glancing at the sky is one thing, but gazing at it is another thing altogether. Allowing the brilliant beauty to fill you. 

Something true could be meditating on Christ’s promise that no matter what is going on in your life, you are fully and totally loved by Him.

Something pure could be a pristine white snowfall outside your window. Gaze at it.

God still creates perfect, bright things in this world—untouched, unmarred, unspoiled.

We can find hope in these lovely, true, pure things. We don’t need health, wealth, or everything figured out to focus on loveliness. It’s all around us. If only we’ll slow down to notice.

The more I look for things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, the more I find them. And the more I’m aware of all this goodness, the more filled with joy I become. 

“This shift of our attention from the pain or tension to beauty reminds us that God is still there, and He’s still doing good things.“

I spy foxtail grass growing along the edge of a field and reach out, allowing my fingers to be tickled against the fuzzy caterpillar-shaped ends. I hear the laughter bubbling up in my daughter’s throat before it fully escapes, and I can’t help but smile as I feel her contagious joy.

God puts beauty and goodness all around us to restore us. When we focus on noble and pure and excellent things, our hope is renewed. We become thankful for what we have. We become encouraged by the wonderful things and people all around us, even when there is hardship or darkness in our lives. This shift of our attention from the pain or tension to beauty reminds us that God is still there, and He’s still doing good things.

If we’re constantly rushing, we’ll miss joy. But if we pause and focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy—if we receive it, savor it, inhale it, let it soak in—we’ll be filled with abundant, overflowing joy that will fuel us to do the things that truly matter.

I choose the latter. To work from a place of joy. To fully see and savor a sunset.

Care to join me? I’ll be out on the porch gazing at the sky.

Laura L. Smith is a best-selling author, speaker, and podcaster whose mission is to tear down lies and replace them with the life-giving truths of Christ’s love.

She loves Jesus, her prince-charming of a husband, their four young adult kids, the sound of church bells, the taste of mochas, and the freedom and joy found running along wooded trails.

Laura’s newest book, The Urgency of Slowing Down teaches us how we can trade the stress, fatigue, and feeling of overwhelm that hustle culture leaves us with for the beautiful life-giving unforced rhythms of grace Jesus has for us.

Find Laura at www.laurasmithauthor.com where you can grab your very own copy of The Urgency of Slowing Down.

{Our humble thanks to Our Daily Bread for their partnership in today’s devotional.}