When I was about eleven, I remember barreling down Oakwood Terrace on my blue bike.

The wind in my hair, it felt daring and exciting—until my sister rode her bike out of our friend’s driveway into my path.

Want to hear something funny?

Evidently, I remembered it all wrong. It was actually my sister who was barreling down Oakwood Terrace and I was the one who rode into her path.

It’s not that I’ve never barreled down Oakwood Terrace on my blue bike with the wind in my hair before, it just didn’t happen that way on that day.

Thankfully and miraculously my sister was fine, while I ate the pavement.

I limped home in hysterics and hopped into the kitchen balling my eyes out. Mom was deep in conversation with grandma on that curly corded kitchen phone that reached for miles–and she just kept talking. It’s not that she wasn’t concerned, she just thought I was overreacting.

Then she took a closer look.

I’m not sure if it was the gaping crater under my kneecap or the gravel wedged deep inside said crater that dropped my mom’s jaw to the floor. Now two of us in hysterics, she helped me hop to the bathroom. It felt right to draw near to the medicine cabinet.

It was clear this was going to take more than a trip to the bathroom and a band-aid. I don’t remember how we got to the ER for stitches but I have a Frankenstein scar under my right kneecap to prove we were there.

It is still so weird to me how I remembered the accident differently than how it actually happened. But our minds can do that–we can remember things in reverse or even things that never happened at all.

Memories are just a reflection of actual events. I can understand this knowing that my reflection in a mirror is in reverse, and not how others see me.

In this memory with my sister, I remembered our roles in reverse.

Sometimes I do that with God, meaning I try writing my own story. Instead of being still and waiting on God, I take action while He waits for me to come to my senses.

I feel at times I’m barreling down a hill without tapping the brakes. And I want to feel in control but truth is, it takes more self-control to surrender my control to the One in control.

There is a fine line between following where He leads and trying to pave an offshoot path of our own into the wilderness.

And the wilderness isn’t always a bad thing. Holy things happen in the wilderness, but what I’m saying is this:

When we jump ahead of God by trying to make things happen by our own strength, we’re heading for a crash. When we do this we are trying to assume God’s role and place in our lives. We may not even realize what we’re doing when we’re trying to make these things happen.

I confess. There are times when I try making things happen the way I think they should happen–and when I think they should happen. I surmise events have occurred because surely this is a sign of some kind. Surely this means something deeper.

But surmising is circumstantial and not conclusive. So when I jump ahead thinking, ah, this must have happened because God is lining all this up so this other thing can happen, I’m making up my own story led by my own thoughts–not the story based on God’s plans.

God’s ways and thoughts are higher. The things He has allowed ultimately has a purpose, but it is not up to me to decide what that purpose is.

Spending time with the Lord in prayer and in His Word will keep us where we are meant to be–not ahead and not behind.

The plans God has for me, and for you, are meant to unfold neatly and carefully, not unroll hastily like a red carpet.

I’m not the center of my plans, God is. And He’s not in a rush.

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” 2 Peter 3:8

Barreling through life is like going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. We can’t see where we’re going as we’re tossed to and fro. And there’s no guarantee that barrel will hold together.

In a world full of hurry let's savor the sweet sanctity of slow. Click To Tweet

The world would have us believe if we don’t hurry, we’ll miss something. God wants to do amazing things if we would just slow down and savor the waiting.

Here are 3 simple lessons God has taught me over time…

*Stop moving forward without praying for clear direction which = peace in decision-making and knowing when to be still and when to move. Bathe each day in prayer and savor every moment. Because God is in every moment.

*Look for the fruit which = Abiding in Christ because He is the Vine and we are the branches. Is what I am doing bearing fruit and glorifying God? What is my motivation?

*Listen for directions which = The Holy Spirit’s teaching and guiding me through daily life. A few verses to check out are Romans 9:1; Luke 12:12; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.

Does stop, look, and listen sound familiar?

It should. We heard it when learning to cross the street. It was important then and it’s important now. We are being renewed day by day which when we break that down further, it’s moment by moment.

Sanctification is a process of becoming more and more like Christ. To sanctify means to set apart for a purpose, to be set apart and holy. It’s like God’s divine slow-cooker as opposed to the world’s version of a minute in the microwave. And we’re not becoming more like Christ so we can be all that, we’re becoming more like Christ so others can see Him through us.

God is right here with us on this thousand-year day. Let’s savor the sanctity of slow and turn our clocks to God’s timing.