Slowing Down Enough to Feel the Joy

By Aliya Deshotel

A friend recently recommended that I read Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy by Matthew Kelly. I had barely made it through the first few pages before one sentence stopped me in my tracks:

"Busy doesn't make us important."

Ouch.

I don't think I'm busy because I want people to think I'm important. I think I'm busy because it's comfortable. If I'm working, creating, planning, teaching, or helping someone else, my mind doesn't have as much time to wander. As an over-thinker, busy feels safe.

But then I read another line that made me pause even longer:

"Joy erupts within us when we allow an experience to touch the very depths of our souls. That cannot be rushed."

That sentence reminded me that joy isn't something we squeeze between meetings or check off a to-do list. Joy is something we experience when we slow down enough to notice it.

At 25 years old, I've realized I've already lived through seasons I once dreamed about. I've earned degrees, started a business, met incredible people, married my best friend, and stepped into opportunities I never imagined. Yet sometimes I move so quickly toward the next goal that I forget to appreciate the one I'm standing in.

Maybe that's why God commands us to rest.

Not because He wants us to accomplish less, but because He knows we'll miss the beauty He has already placed in front of us if we're always looking ahead.

I've noticed something about myself. If I'm working too much, I become exhausted. If I'm resting, I sometimes feel guilty, lazy, or like I should be doing more. Finding balance isn't easy.

But perhaps balance isn't about splitting our time perfectly. Maybe it's about being fully present wherever we are.

When you're working, work with purpose. When you're with family, put the phone down. When you're praying, don't rush the conversation. When you're resting, actually rest...

God didn't create us to sprint through life collecting accomplishments. He created us to know Him, love others, and experience the life He has given us.

Being busy isn't the problem. Being too busy to notice God's blessings is.

So chase your dreams. Build your business. Serve your community. Work hard.

But don't rush past the moments that God intended to become memories.

Some of life's greatest blessings aren't found in the next achievement.

They're found in the quiet moments we finally slow down enough to enjoy.