I have a bias toward action. I have a lot of big hopes and dreams that God has called me to and equipped me for. The result is that I have a full life and a schedule that keeps me on my toes.
To me, it feels like dancing with the Spirit–I am having so much fun.
But there was a tension in my past whenever I got closer to the ideas and practices of contemplative faith. This idea of slowing down grated on my soul. The people I knew who seemed to best embody this way of life were introverts who didn’t seem like they wanted to see any change in the world.
Contemplative prayer and practices looked awful.
You want me to slow down—which I understood to mean “do less”—so I can just be still and silent!?
No thank you. What value would that have?
What threw me off was the idea of slowing down.
But this was all wrong—a fundamental misunderstanding of what meditation and contemplative prayer actually meant.
The invitation from the Lord is not to slow down, but to “slow in.”
Get still enough, sit with the Lord and listen long enough to actually connect with the Spirit of the Living God living in you.
It’s a practice. One you can practice and improve on. Like learning music theory—over time, your ear becomes more attuned to tones and structure.
You develop your inner ear.
This journey takes us inward—toward our true selves, toward God, and ultimately toward a life that bears the fruit of the Spirit.
And here’s the paradox: This “slow in” process leads to more effective action. Always.
Why? Because so much of our sped-up pace is frantic, reactionary nonsense.
It’s doing driven by fear and catastrophic thinking.
It’s action from the lizard brain, not from an aligned heart.
When we slow in, we don’t have to slow down.
What time we spend in contemplation makes our action more intentional, more fruitful—more anointed.
“In active contemplation, there is a deliberate and sustained effort to detect the will of God in events and to bring one’s whole self into harmony with that will.”
— Thomas Merton
We move from grind into flow.
So if you’re like me—biased toward action and skeptical that contemplative practice can fit into your busy schedule—ask yourself:
Would I like to do more of what God is actually calling me to do?
Do I feel like I’m in alignment with the will of the Lord in every part of my life?
If the answer is “no,”
maybe get still this morning.
Don’t slow down.
Slow in.
Prayer of Practice
Lord, I believe that you are alive and active in the world today.
I believe I have your Spirit as an incredible gift from the Father and from the Son.Today, would you give me a sense of your power and your presence?
Would even the idea of stillness take on a new appeal?
Would you help me to still my body and my brain for a few minutes,
and would you help me to listen to your voice speak love over me?“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”