We all move at our own pace. If we are hurried, we often are more likely to make mistakes. If we are slowed down, we are often impatient and snippy. I've often remarked... 'Don't rush me!' or 'Good grief, Go already.' Today, I felt like I was in the fast lane of life and it was not a comfortable feeling.
'Sometimes your heart needs more time to accept what your mind already knows.' I think this phrase points to the danger in having people say a quick 'prayer' and telling them they are saved. There are countless people with biblical head knowledge but their heart has turned deaf to it. Salvation isn't a one-stop shop, but the beginning of sanctification... the transforming of ourselves into Christ's likeness. God works in mysterious ways sometimes just to get us to see His light in the darkness.
Sometimes our impatience can influence our witnessing. We give up on people because their spiritual growth doesn't follow our timeline. God's timing is the only clock that counts and we don't know what it says. We give up because we see how far there is to go, instead of how far they've come. Our witnessing should always have an eternal goal and perspective, rather than a short term gain in focus.
'Progress has little to do with speed, but much to do with direction.'
'Our goal should be progress, not perfection.'
'The way of progress is neither swift nor easy.'
May we lead others in the right direction and have them follow in a progressive pace.