Momentum
“How to gain momentum by stopping.”
mōˈmen(t)əm,məˈmen(t)əm/
noun
1.PHYSICS: the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity.
2.the impetus (force or energy) gained by a moving object.”the vehicle gained momentum as the road dipped”
mōˈmen(t)əm,məˈmen(t)əm/
noun
1.PHYSICS: the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity.
2.the impetus (force or energy) gained by a moving object.”the vehicle gained momentum as the road dipped”
Momentum.
Stopping.
Normally, it doesn’t make any sense, if you want to see progress, to slow down or even stop what you are doing. Momentum is all about progressing…moving ahead. We can imagine an object picking up speed, gaining ground, going faster, going forward.
However, this law of physics doesn’t work as well in the Kingdom of God.
However, this law of physics doesn’t work as well in the Kingdom of God.
Truthfully, the busier we are, the more often we feel like we are losing spiritual ground (momentum) precisely because we do not take the time to STOP (or at least slow down) and spend some intentional time with God. Granted, there may be many important things going on in life, some of which we have little control over that beg for our time and attention. But more often than not, we do have control over how we spend a lot of our time. We certainly find time to watch television, exercise, view social media, have coffee with friends, or even to read a good book. We neglect to stop long enough to really get filled up with the very presence of God and receive the refreshment He alone can provide. Most of us would say we want more of God, more of a close relationship with Him, more of hearing His voice. We want the results of the end goal without the actual pursuit of it. In her book, “Unseen”, Sara Hagerty says this: “Quiet doesn’t just happen. Ever.” “Internal stillness takes practice…and it needs to be cultivated.”
There is an important word within the word momentum, and that word is
MOMENT
Moment. Even when it seems impossible to carve out a specific time to sit at Jesus’ feet, surely we can pause at any time of even the most ridiculously busy day to acknowledge Him, to look toward Him, to bask in His love, and to think on His promises and His word. We need these moments both to strengthen our own hearts and to feel reconnected with Him.
Often when we are feeling SPENT, it is because we have not SPENT much time with God.
I don’t know about you, but I miss the time with Him when I don’t take it….especially if it happens day after busy day. It becomes apparent when I have not taken the time to intentionally sit at His feet. I start to feel distant, worn out, run down, not as alive, and in all honesty, angry. I can find myself very frustrated when things don’t go my way. My fuse becomes much shorter than when I have spent quiet time with Jesus.
While we continue to have to walk through busy seasons, let’s make the deliberate choice to slow down, to STOP what we are doing at times, to give God our time and attention, so that by getting refreshed, we might make some progress, gain some MOMENTum, and become more alive again.
This is kingdom physics: slowing down=spiritual momentum
Peggy Lago – November 6, 2017