When It’s Too Hot to Hurry
Every morning this week, I’ve checked the weather before heading out for a run. Every morning the forecast has essentially asked the same question: “Are you sure about this?” By Wednesday morning, I decided the forecast had a point, so I rolled out my yoga mat in the cool air conditioning instead.
With temperatures climbing into the triple digits and the heat index pushing well above 110 degrees, even a short run requires a little more planning. You start earlier. You carry more water. You slow your pace. You pay attention to your body. And when you find a patch of shade, you don’t take it for granted.
The Texas heat has a way of reminding us that we are not in control—and that we have limits.
That’s not always an easy lesson to embrace. Most of us would rather keep pushing, keep producing, keep checking things off our lists. We often wear busyness like a badge of honor. But every once in a while, creation reminds us that we are not machines. We are human beings, created by God with bodies, souls, and a need for rest.
And perhaps that’s why these familiar words from Psalm 23 feel especially meaningful this week:
“He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”
Notice what the psalm doesn’t say. It doesn’t say God drives us harder or asks us to prove ourselves. The Good Shepherd leads, provides, restores, and invites us to receive what we cannot create on our own.
Perhaps that’s a good word for all of us this week.
Maybe we don’t need to hurry quite so much. Maybe we need to slow our pace, drink deeply from God’s grace, seek moments of quiet, and remember that our worth isn’t measured by our productivity. God’s love isn’t something we earn by staying busy. It is a gift we simply receive.
So if this Texas heat has slowed you down a little this week, don’t be too quick to resent it. It may be offering a gentle reminder that even in the busiest seasons of life, God still leads us beside still waters and into the shade of his grace.
Stay cool. Drink plenty of water. Find some shade when you need it. And remember that the One who created you also knows your limits—and loves you completely.
With Gratitude,
Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC