A Song for When… You Need to Slow Down
Pole pole.
When I visited several countries in Africa last summer, this (pronounced po-lay po-lay) was a common phrase spoken in a couple of them—especially Tanzania (and especially Zanzibar). It means slowly, slowly, or little by little. When locals spoke this Swahili term, they were saying: Take it easy! Enjoy the journey. Embrace the unhurried pace of life.
Pole pole.
I loved this, and it came right on time for me, as I was using the summer to really focus on cutting back, increasing my time spent in silence and solitude, and just decreasing the cluttered rush that life tends to bring. When I heard the song “Slower I Go,” by Chelsea Plank and SEU Worship, for the first time, its lyrics reinforced the pole pole mantra in the best kind of way.
The song starts with a pointed reminder to avoid being hurried in God’s presence. It says:
We won’t make haste in Your presence … Stay right here … I wanna move slowly … ‘Cause this moment is holy … You’re never in a hurry (no, no) … So why ever would I be?
Whewww what a reminder! Is this usually your mindset when you open up your Bible or turn to God in prayer? Are you making haste or do you linger on your way to/from church, Bible study or small group? Of course, the world runs on a clock, so sauntering through each day completely unaware of time isn’t entirely possible. But, odd as it sounds, scheduling in time to be unhurried is possible. Build in some buffer time so you don’t have to be zipping from one place to another. If you already have the buffer time, simply challenge yourself to spend an extra few minutes in God’s presence.
This little part of the song brings the most beautiful picture to mind for me:
… I love how we’re talking … Just me and You … Just quietly walking … The truest of friendship
Do you have a friend who you love spending time with? Someone who you could talk to for hours? Someone who you wouldn’t think twice about spending an entire afternoon with—simply sitting at a coffee shop or leisurely walking through a park? You could have that kind of friendship with God. Imaging you and Him, quietly walking and talking, the truest of friendships. How beautiful! What change would you need to make in order to foster that kind of relationship with Jesus?
As you consider this slow-paced relationship, the most repetitive lines of the song can be used as a prayer to guide you toward a more unhurried pace of life. They say:
Oh, I wanna have … Slow feet, slow plans … Steadfast in patience … Rid me of my quickness … I’ll be soon to listen … It seems as though the slower I go, the faster I arrive
I’ve heard preachers point out that Jesus did not appear to be rushed during His years of ministry. He walked and talked. He stopped for meals with all kinds of people! He was unbothered by interruptions. He ministered at a relaxed pace, and He arrived right on time to the climax of His earthly life—His crucifixion. Jesus modeled for us what it looks like to have slow feet and slow plans. And if it worked for Him, surely it can still work for us.
The next time you need a reminder to SLOW DOWN, queue up “Slower I Go.” Sit still and breathe deeply while you listen. I pray that God will meet you there. ♥️