Finding reflective time in a fast paced world

I have no doubt that most can identify with the feelings of exhaustion experienced at the end of 2011. I personally felt like a spinning top that needed to come to a halt to find myself. It took the first 10 days of my holiday, sleeping, relaxing and doing very little before I started to feel human again.

The fast pace of life with technology beckoning daily 24/7/365 is taking its toll on our sense of being, relationships and health. These tiny objects allow us to do more, talk to many and stretch our reach right across the globe. In all advancement, there is good and bad. The challenge is how to get back the balance and enjoy the tools while retaining your soul.

I read a short piece this morning by Bill Hybels called"Speed versus Soul" These are his words: "Somewhere along the way, I realized that although my speed line was content to run fast and hard year after year, my soul line just couldn't keep up"

He shares this example: I finished speaking at a conference in Germany one time and my translator offered to give me a ride back to the airport. For the first part of the car ride, we talked quietly about the most impactful moments of the conference. We were making our way through a residential part of town and our conversation matched the relaxed easy pace. But then we turned onto the autobahn. I began to notice that the faster my friend drove, the less frequently we talked. When we reached top speed, our dialogue died down altogether. Instead of continuing the soulish interaction we'd been enjoying, we found ourselves focused solely on dodging the other cars and avoiding a crash.

We need to make time to slow down. How do we do this in such a fast paced world? This is not easy to do and may take choices and humility.Alter your job description, meeting schedule, and make time to be quiet and spend time with God. Stephen Covey talks about "First things First"Do what is important and then other things will fall into place.

These few verses from Matthew 16 : 26 to 28 in The Message version of the bible give us guidance. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat, I am. Don't run from suffering, embrace it. Follow me and I will show you how.Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?"