We all need a breath of fresh air. An escape from the city of the busy bees. Perhaps Biblical evidence that we were never meant to be part of a society that seems to be chasing after more. They try to be more, achieve more and consume more. But at the end of the day, we are faced with a global phenomena. People all around the world are overwhelmed, burnt out and questioning the purpose of life.
No wonder we are seeing a rising number in people who suffer from mental illness. In 2019, around 970 million people globally experienced a mental disorder—up nearly 50% from the estimated 655 million in 1990. More recent figures confirm that over 1 billion people were living with mental health issues by 2021. These statistics are more than problematic, because they continue to grow. Could it be that we have adapted and grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle?
Are we missing the point? Is this ‘slow-living’ lifestyle just a trend or is it actually something Biblical. I am fully persuaded that Slow-Living is a Biblical gateway to peace – peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace that God has intended for us to have and a peace that battles this growing rate of anxiety among Christians.
Here are a number of Scriptures that persuaded me that Slow-Living is, in fact, a Biblical way of life:
Sabbath Rest
Exodus 20:8-10
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gate.
Rest seems to a a prominent subject in the Bible. And this rule of thumb goes way back – as far as the ten commandments given to Moses in Exodus. I see this rule as a gift that is given to you by God. We can rejoice in the fact that even God understands that we need rest.
Jesus Withdrew To Rest
Mark 6:31
And He said to them, Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
Life is going to happen, just like it did with the disciples. There will be times where we won’t have enough time in a day to do the things that we need to do. Slow-living is not about avoiding those types of days all together, but about finding the balance and reminding yourself to slow down. I think, often, people think slow-living is about this slow-paced and casual life that doesn’t have those crazy days. But that is just unrealistic. Slow-paced life is about pacing yourself, yes. But being able to make rest a priority when life does throw those crazy lemons.
Stillness And Knowing God
Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God;
Even though this Scripture focuses on surrender in context, being still and surrendering does definitely apply to a slow-paced life. In the modern world, people are the kings and queens of their castles, but so much peace can be found in simply, surrendering to the One who is Sovereign. There is a stillness that creeps in life a stream of fresh water when we learn that we are not in control of our own lives. We do run a spiritual race, that’s for sure. But I don’t think that race was meant to tell us how fast paced we should be. If we learn to surrender more, we learn that life is a gift and that it has a calm flow. Give things to God instead of running and pushing through everything that was not meant for you.
Simplicity And Contentment
1 Timothy 6:6-8
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
I love this Scripture. This Scripture has taught me a valuable lesson when it comes to slow-living. You see, a fast paced life often defends itself with the following quotes: someone has to pay the bills. In actual fact, if we look at things in a logical way, we see that we try to obtain things that fit our lifestyle and standards. Instead of just being content with the simplicity of life, we achieve more to keep up with the standards the world wants us to have. I can say this for sure: it’s hard to be content with the simplest of things. We sometimes forget to be grateful for a roof over our heads and a warm bed to sleep in. These simple things can be taken for granted to easily. But being content with the simplest of things, brings about a peace that only comes from God.
Do Not Worry, Live Presently
Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toll nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
This Scripture definitely relates to the previous one of being content with the simplest of things. It also relates to surrendering your cares to the Lord. The Lord knows that we need these things, therefore, it should and can be put into God’s hands. Worrying about our clothes and what food we’re going to eat adds unneeded worry. I often think about those begging on the streets. They do have a real worry about their clothes and what they are going to eat when there is nothing. Those worries are justified in my opinion. But even when situations seem heavy financially, we have a faithful God that always comes through for us. And there is a peace in that knowing. Caring about these little things forces you to be more and achieve more in this very fast paced economy that we are living in. Calm comes when we know that God provides.
Walking With God
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God…
You heard this Scripture right: ‘to walk with your God’. I love one of God’s attributes. The fact that He is patient. Never have I ever seen Him push people to move at a fast pace. Like a loving Father, He slowly and patiently works with us. Think about parenting for example. When we teach our kids something, they often move at a pace they are comfortable with until they get the hang of it. As parents, we know that they are still learning, so we grow in patience with them. God, who is a perfect Father, does even more. He is on the journey with us and we are asked to walk with Him.
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
This might just be one of my most favorite Scriptures of all time. There is such a peace in knowing that we can go to Jesus and receive rest. There’s a calm in knowing that we have Someone who is faithful in refreshing our souls. This is such an opposite idea from what the world wants us to believe. So many people find themselves burnt out and anxious because of the be-more, achieve-more mindset. It’s expectations where ever you go. It’s a fast-paced world, but a slippery slope downhill for our mental health. We are spiraling out of control if we move at the crazy pace the world expects of us. Not God though. God waits with open arms to give us rest from life. With Him, we can rejoice and be grateful that we won’t suffer burn out if we slow down and take the time to be in His presence. What a wonderful thing it is to have a faithful Father!
Slow-living can seem daunting. It’s basically asking for one to move and be much different than the world. We can go ahead and move crazy fast because that is what feels familiar, but at what cost? Lacking peace because of clinical depressions and things alike, is an obvious reason and for that, God carries you with enough grace. But the type of lifestyle we choose, can either steal or give us peace.
Which one will you choose?
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