When Life Slows You Down on Purpose

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

There’s something about being forced to slow down that changes the way you see everything.

When I couldn’t move around like I was used to, the days felt longer. Quieter. At times, even frustrating. I was used to being active, independent, and able to take care of things on my own. Suddenly, that was no longer the case.

At first, it felt like time was working against me.

At my desk during recovery, turning to Scripture and preparing to write.

But in that stillness, something began to shift.

I started noticing things I might have missed otherwise. Small things. Moments of quiet. Time to think. Time to reflect. Time to pray in a way that wasn’t rushed or distracted.

And somewhere in that quiet, I found myself writing again.

Not with a clear plan. Not with a finished story in mind. Just putting thoughts on paper—reflections, ideas, pieces of something I hadn’t fully understood yet.

I began to realize that slowing down wasn’t just something happening to me—it was something that might actually be for me.

Patience doesn’t come naturally to me. I’ve always been someone who prefers to keep moving, to solve problems, to make progress. But during that season, I had no choice but to wait.

And in that waiting, I began to learn.

I learned that not everything needs to be controlled.
I learned that it’s okay not to have all the answers.
I learned that faith often grows the most in uncertain moments.

Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?”
I found myself asking, “What can I learn from this?”

That question changed everything.

It shifted my focus from frustration to purpose.

And writing became part of that shift.

What started as simple reflections began to take shape into something more. Ideas connected. A story began to form. What had once been set aside slowly came back to life.

I began to trust God in a deeper way—not just when things were going well, but when I didn’t understand what was happening. Not when I felt strong, but when I felt completely dependent.

And maybe that was the point all along.

Looking back, I wouldn’t have chosen that season. It was difficult, uncomfortable, and at times discouraging.

But I can see now that it was shaping something in me that I needed.

Sometimes strength doesn’t come from moving forward quickly.
Sometimes it comes from being still long enough to grow.

What felt like being stuck…
was actually where the real growth began.