God's pace, not yours

Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. (Proverbs 19:2)

Have you ever jumped into some commitment and then had what some refer to as 'buyer's remorse'? I know I have done that on more than one occasion, regretting my impulsivity. Impulse is good to a certain extent, such as when we sense danger coming our way and dodge to get out of the way. We heard or saw something that made us take notice and we avoided injury as a result of our quick action. Those types of 'quick actions' are warranted. There are other 'quick actions' that actually bring us more trouble or harm than they do good!

Haste makes mistakes. Those three words really tell us a great deal. Haste - excessive speed or urgency - isn't always warranted. There are times when we need to stop to consider. I don't buy automobiles impulsively. I take my time, researching my options, looking at the details of what is offered at each price, and then I don't even act on that information in the spur of the moment. I have walked away from the dealership more than once, allowing time to pass before I settle on the one I want at the price they need to meet. It isn't being 'wishy-washy', it is being wise.

God's truths are not impulsive. They aren't learned in haste, nor are they to be entered into lightly. When we go to study his Word, we want our heart to be ready to receive what he is teaching. We want dedicated time to really come to an understanding of what he is bringing to our attention. If we are too hasty to 'get in and get out' of our time in the Word, we will likely miss what he is telling us. It is good that we got into it, but if we walk away unchanged by what we have read, we are being a little too hasty in our study! We don't have limitless time, so we need to spend what time we carve out of our day to spend with Jesus really count.

Taking time to proceed at GOD'S PACE is always going to prove more profitable than any hit and miss approach to time with him. The length of time may not be the issue - it could be that we come with unprepared and unopened hearts. The time taken to ensure both our hearts and minds are ready is like the time I take when buying an automobile. It has a specific purpose, making my decision to move forward even more certain. The time you take to make both your heart and mind open to what Jesus may say through his Word is only going to make the steps you take more certain. Just sayin!