Slow Down so God can Catch Up

April 13, 2021

Whether you’ve been following me for a while or just discovering what I’m all about, you’ll find the theme of “running hard after your dreams” behind everything I post. And while I fully believe you need to take action towards your dream, there’s also a time when you have to let go and surrender them at the same time.

For the last several years, God’s been whispering to my heart for me to “pay attention,” to not look so far ahead to the future that I miss the gift of NOW. This theme has shown up in the different books I’m reading, the messages I listen to, and Landmark seminars I’ve worked through. Is it a coincidence? I don’t think so.

It’s just like God to remind me of this message right after I posted on taking small steps to your dreams. This morning, I picked up The Attentive Life by Leighton Ford for my third reading through. (It’s that good!) And was touched by the story he told about a missionary to the Masai people of East Africa. The missionary thought he was bringing the Good News to their tribe, however, it was an elder that spoke truth into the missionary’s life.

The elder was describing faith like “a lion going after its prey, speeding to catch it, leaping at it with a blow that kills, then enfolding it into its great arms to make it part of himself.” (Ford pg. 62-26)

Of course, I related to the lion and the faith I have to run hard and attack my dreams aks my prey. I started down that train of thought until I read the words that brought gentle tears to my eyes.

The elder told the missionary that his people weren’t looking for his High God. “We did not search you out, Padri. We did not even want you to come. You searched us out… We have not searched for Him… He has searched us out and found us. All the time we think we are the lion. In the end, God is the lion.” (pg. 63)

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I suddenly felt God’s persistent pursuit of me as I chased my dreams. I envisioned God, the lion, chasing hard after me, his little lamb, not to devour and consume, but hoping I would slow down long enough so He could love, refresh, and hold me close in his arms. Rest and be with Him. Because the journey is long and hard, but the blessings are always found in the now moments of life.

That image reminded me of another lion from literature. C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Aslan’s restless pursuit of his people.

“I have come,” said a deep voice behind them. They turned and saw the Lion himself, so bright and real and strong that everything else began at once to look pale and shadowy compared with him.
 
For what stood in the doorway was Aslan himself, the Lion, the highest of all high kings. And he was solid and real and warm and he let her kiss him and bury herself in his shining mane… “
 
“Oh, Aslan,” She (Lucy) said, “it was kind of you to come.”
“I have been here all the time,” he replied…”
 
Sometimes we get so caught up in the pursuit of our own dreams that we forget the One longing for us.

God is the lion, always present. Always chasing. The question is will we slow down enough to let Him catch us so we can rest in His presence?

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Gina Conroy

Gina Conroy

From the day I received my first diary in the second grade, I've had a passion expressing myself through writing. Later as a journalist and novelist, I realized words, if used powerfully, have the ability to touch, stir, and reach from the depths of one soul to another. Today as a writing and health coach, I inspire others to live their extraordinary life and encourage them to share their unique stories. For daily inspiration follow me on https://www.facebook.com/gina.conroy and check out my books here https://amzn.to/3lUx9Pi