Slowing Down

I sometimes wonder if God takes on a role of divine interference. The reason why I wonder this is because every once in awhile there is something so obviously coincidental that you have to wonder if God is up to something.

I had something like that happen to me this week. I am not really sure why it is happening, but it just seems like God is trying to teach me something. You see I am in an in-between stage in life. I am going to start a church in Nashville, TN this fall, but I am still living in Memphis doing the prep work and transitioning from my old role at the church I used to work at. Of course, I always feel like I don’t need to slow down, that I can just keep on pushing through from one task to the next. This week, though, it feels like God is deliberately slowing me.

Although I have a lot to do, my buddy (that I am starting this church together with) and I had said that we were going to take spring break off of work so we could re-energize ourselves. We had just recently left staff together at another church we had helped start and we have been feeling a bit exhausted from the 5 years of hard labor. We both felt like we needed to detox and regroup. But, of course, he left town for his vacation and I planned on staying in town and just having an in-town vacation week. We all know those aren’t really vacations at all. I had a list as long as my arm of things I was planning to do. And then it happened.

I was playing football on Sunday with some buddies and got cheap-shotted by a guy on the opposing team. Now I am hurt with a sprained and swollen foot. The injury wasn’t serious (I could have torn my ACL really easily) but it is just bad enough that I can’t walk. It feels like God is being really obvious. Now instead of getting things done, which is something I value very much, I am relegated to the couch with a bag of ice. It takes me forever to get around and it is very painful.

So, the question I am asking is “Why?” Why is God slowing me down? Why does God slow you down? I think it is because it is good to take a moment and remember that God is in control. To remember that He alone can provide for us and that He wants us to pay attention to Him. I guess I really am taking a vacation this week and I am grateful that God is allowing me to rest in Him.