Wellbeing Thought for Friday 26th February 2021

Friday 26 Feb

Slow down to be present

Slowing down is essential but it can be hard. Our fast pace can make us especially vulnerable to burnout if our identity is rooted in what we do rather than who we are. A wise Christian leader counselled a younger one, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

Slowing down is part of becoming the person God has designed us to be. Only when we slow down can we learn to be present.

The Christian approach to mindfulness is being present to the One who is always present to us. It is about learning to ‘Be still and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46.10). The Prayer of Awareness (developed by St Ignatius of Loyola) can be helpful in this. It consists of five steps:

(1) Thanking God for specific good things. (2) Searching my heart for anything that has come between me and God. (3) Reviewing the day just gone – have my actions and circumstances taken me towards God or away from God? (4) Confessing anything that I have become aware of in steps (2) and (3), not allowing any sense of condemnation, but receiving his forgiveness and love. (5) Abiding in God’s presence and love.