“This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”

The writer Ephrat Livni posits that one of the reasons we are becoming so overly opinionated is because we feel the pressure to have a point of view quickly, more often or not now before we have the whole story or a full grasp on the subject. Livni encourages business leaders, and really all of us, to take a breath and find a pattern of slower thinking.  This seems right to me as I think of the leaders who I have worked with who I most admired.  They were similar in that they were well read (lots of books, magazines, research) and they were overly committed to gathering all of the facts before they passed an opinion.  Consequently, they were usually correct when they did pass opinion or judgment. We get so wrapped up in our emails, texts, online newsletters, etc. that we miss the opportunity to stop and read and think. If Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Barack Obama (when President) can carve out an hour a day to read a book, well, that might be a good example for all of us to follow.

I’m convinced that God is a “Slow Thinker”. He does things in His own time and lets us know that this is how it is going to be.  I’m reading the Bible all the way through again this year.  Delving into His Word slows me down.  His Word is not meant to be sped read.  Even as we slog through Exodus, Numbers and Leviticus He can speak to us for when we slow down enough to try and understand, we always learn something about what we are exploring, and better yet, we learn something about ourselves.  So, if we are looking for a place to slow think, let’s start within God’s Word.

Reference: Habakkuk 2:3 (New Living Translation)