Rhythm
I’ll be the first to admit that finding spiritual rhythm is tough. It is just too easy to just keep going, building, accomplishing… moving. But, the truth is, if we don’t slow down, the fast pace of life will eventually catch up to us and kill us - physically and spiritually. It’s a tough but true reality.
For this reason, the very first principle we teach at all of our experiences is rhythm. It is the idea that there is a pace at which we need to live our lives; one that embraces both fast and slow. It's true, we need to get stuff done, work hard and give our best effort. After all, Proverbs commands us to work and warns us to not be lazy (Proverbs 12, 13 and 21). But, on the other side of fast… is slow. We also need to retreat and find space to slow down, rest, refresh our souls, and listen. Jesus modeled this for us many times in the New Testament as He continually got away by himself to seek intimacy with the Father (Mark 6, Luke 4).
It’s at the intersection of moving fast and intentionally slowing down that we find spiritual rhythm.
Rhythm looks different for everyone. We each need to figure out what works for us based on the way we are wired, our schedules and, most importantly, what keeps us engaged with the Creator, allowing us to listen to His voice. This is how we seek well.
Ask anyone who has been pursuing Jesus for any length of time and they will tell you that there are some common denominators to good spiritual rhythm.
Two of the most important: Disciplined and Unhurried.
Truthfully, a close and intimate connection with God is not going to happen by accident. We have to be intentional about when and where we are going to create space to be with Him. There has to be some discipline to our pursuit of Jesus. You know it and I know it. It’s really not new information.
But unhurried, that’s where I want to challenge you as you develop rhythm this year. For most of us, our spiritual rhythm tends to be something we do. We even call it a “quiet time”; a set time that we do “spiritual things” before we get on with our day. But, if we are honest, this doesn't produce the connectedness that Jesus talks about. I believe it’s because we can’t hurry intimacy. True closeness takes time and it means we have to set down our agenda and allow enough space to just be with Jesus. If we want Jesus to transform our souls and renovate our hearts, and if we want the life that he offers, life to the full, then we must slow down long enough to hear his voice. We can’t hurry God.
Discipline and unhurried… if we can get these two right then something powerful happens. Our relationship with Jesus begins to move with us throughout the day and helps us develop an effortless connection with Him. And out of that connection we get what we are looking for; life to the fullest.
At Seek Well, we put it all together like this:
Rhythm is the disciplined, unhurried, effortless connection to Jesus that produces intimacy with Him.
And out of that intimacy we get the life we are looking for; life to the full, a life lived free and light.
So, here’s the challenge as we start a new year - let’s be intentional about our time with Jesus. And when we do, let’s not be in a hurry so there is space to allow Jesus to do his good work.
If we do, our intimacy with Jesus will grow and we’ll experience more of the life that He has for us in 2022.
-Tim Shelton
