Going Slow with Dr. Low

I read a terrific quote on Facebook today by N.T. Wright:

"Character is a slowly forming thing. You can no more force character on someone than you can force a tree to produce fruit when it isn't ready to do so. The person has to choose, again and again, to develop the moral muscles and skills which will shape and form the fully flourishing character."

My blogs usually focus on slowing you, the reader, down.  Every week I meet with Christians who are so hard on themselves.  They are critical to the point of emotionally flogging themselves regularly, gracious with others but impatient with themselves.  They are trying to push themselves (and maybe even God) to be better, try harder and grow faster than they are.  This often leads to a sense of failure and shame as well as people giving up because they just don't seem to be getting there fast enough.

This is yet one more area where people need to be encouraged to slow down.  While it is good to be a spiritually disciplined Christian who is growing ahead in God's will, there's nothing wrong with doing this slowly.  In fact, slowly is the way it usually happens, or at least if it's going to last.  One of my spiritual directees last week was lamenting that his spiritual formation was not happening as quickly as the people he sees interviewed on TV who have these amazing encounters with the Holy Spirit seemingly transforming them overnight.  While this certainly happens to some people from time to time, the majority of God's people throughout history have experienced long, slow, gradual spiritual growth over several years and that's okay.

So slow down and take it easy on yourself.  Strive for holy living and walking in God's will but with grace and patience, realizing this may be a long, slow process.  And that's okay; God's in the business of redemption, not speed racing.