What am I learning? Slowing down!!

Two full weeks into the experiment, and I am learning much. The one thing I am learning most, however, is to slow down! Some of you may struggle with this, and some may think it is crazy, but I am in too big of a hurry when it comes to spiritual learning and growing.

Maybe part of it is personality, and maybe part of it comes from going to Bible college and seminary, but I read the Bible way too much for information rather than transformation. Know how that works? I read and try to understand the Bible-- and then once I have the information-- the point-- I am moving on to the next devo, Bible study, subject, topic. But getting the information is only the first step (and an important one). It is important to accurately interpret and know what the Bible says. But once I have that, it is time to slow way down and do a lot of meditating and reflection.

I need to ask, "what does this principle/truth mean for me?" And then, what may be more difficult for me, I need to not be ready to move on after I think I have an answer. God may be wanting to say much more to me than just the initial few words. Perhaps I need to spend a few days, sometimes even weeks, making sure I have all God wants to teach me about that topic, and that I have really applied it in all the ways God desires. Have I really worked through in what specific ways I have applied the information and how I will go about doing it.

I honestly don't think I have done a good job of this the last several years. Seminary teaches you to study hard, and it should. The emphasis is on knowledge. I am not faulting seminary here-- their job is to teach Greek and Hebrew and History and Theology. But then I finished my masters and Ph.D. and found the same emphasis in the church world. I would go to conferences and they would have bookstores full or all the latest (or not so late) books that I needed to read to be a better minister/pastor/leader. Speakers would talk about all the incredible books they have been reading and how if I was really going to be a leader I needed to read all these books too. I am not the fastest reader, but to read all these books- how could I have the time to do anything else?

Seinfeld said it best (though I don't think I would heartily recommend the sitcom). It is like we put books on our shelves like they are trophies. We want people to see how much information we have stored in our minds.

But, all that information does not change me. Yes, I know, and I have preached often that we are transformed by the renewing of the mind (found in Romans, but since we are doing the early church experiment, and they didn't have chapter and verse divisions, you will have to find it there somewhere later. I can only tell you that it falls somewhere after chapter 11 and before chapter 13). But I don't think it was just about cramming information into our minds.

I am not knocking all those great books, but Peter and Paul didn't have them. The early church fathers didn't have them. So maybe I don't either. I am certainly no Peter or Paul, but the same Holy Spirit resides within me.

So, I think one thing that is changing in me is that you will see me jumping less from one study to another and spending more time meditating on what I already know, but need to apply much better.

Thoughts?