Disciplines for Slowing
By Aynsley Vermilya, Derived from Tabl•Ed sessions by Daniel Rife
The heart behind this is that love—the greatest commandment—takes time. We must be intentional about making space to love well and meaningfully. The Christian way of living is countercultural. I’m becoming more convinced that you can’t live in the Kingdom of God and live a life of speed. I don’t think they’re compatible.
So let’s consider some historic practices—often called spiritual disciplines—that help us create space in our lives and bring intentionality, clarity, and focus to that space.
Dallas Willard defines spiritual disciplines as:
“Activities of mind and body purposefully undertaken to bring our personality and total being into effective cooperation with the divine order.”
Silence and Solitude
Our world is filled with tech and content, causing an epidemic of distraction. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus regularly goes into the wilderness. We often see this as a place of weakness, but it’s actually a place of strength—where he found clarity about his identity and calling.
When we talk about silence, we must consider both external and internal silence. External noise is all around us, but internal noise is the mental chatter that replays in our minds. It’s difficult to silence, but easier once we quiet external distractions.
When we talk about solitude, we aren’t referring to isolation or escape, but to setting aside space to be with God. Jesus invites us into this “real rest” in Matthew 11.
Sabbath
The Hebrew word for “Sabbath” literally means “to stop.” Stop working, wanting, worrying. Sabbath isn’t just about taking a break—it’s about reshaping how we live, and remembering that God can be trusted to care for our lives beyond our own ability to exert effort.
Jesus said:
“The Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity for the Sabbath.”
– Mark 2:27
Even God rested, so we have no excuse. Sabbath is an act of resistance in a culture that tells us we never have enough; and a tangible expression of our commitment to live in communion with God, instead of dependence on our own striving.
Simplicity
Jesus calls us to a life of abundance, but we often mistake abundance for accumulation. The economy teaches us to crave more, but God’s Kingdom teaches us to trust in his provision.
Jesus said:
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”
– Luke 12:33
Simplicity isn’t just about owning fewer things; it’s about decluttering our lives—including our schedules and distractions—so we can be present to God and others. But in some ways, this can be easier to do with our possessions than with our commitments. At some point in your relationship with your schedule, you’ll have to decide what you simply will not do in order to create more margin to say “yes” to a slower, more loving life.
Creator’s Note: So many other authors have written about this topic, but the one who inspired some of the structure and content of these sessions and articles was John Mark Comer and his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.
