Slow Down: Trusting God’s Pace

Slow and steady wins the race — faith walks at God’s pace, not in frantic haste.

(Isaiah 28:16)

We live in a world addicted to hurry. Our schedules are crammed, our minds race, and our hearts feel like they are always running behind. But in Isaiah 28:16, God gives us a different picture:

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD,‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,a stone, a tested stone,a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:whoever believes will not be in haste.’”

This verse comes in the middle of God’s rebuke to His people. The leaders of Judah were rushing into false security — making political deals, alliances, and quick fixes — hoping those things would save them from coming disaster. In their fear, they scrambled. But God cuts through their panic with a reminder: I have already laid the foundation. Trust Me, not your frantic plans. Whoever believes will not be in haste.

What Does “Not in Haste” Mean?

The phrase doesn’t mean “do nothing.” It means we don’t have to live in panic mode. We don’t have to sprint through life grasping at every opportunity, afraid we’ll miss out. Faith slows us down.

When your foundation is secure, you can walk instead of sprint. You can breathe instead of hyperventilate. You can trust instead of scramble.

Hurry is often a symptom of unbelief — a subtle way of saying, If I don’t make this happen, no one will. Faith says, God has already laid the cornerstone. I can walk at His pace.

The Cost of Hurry: Warnings from Scripture

God’s Word is full of cautions about rushing headlong without wisdom:

• Proverbs 19:2 — “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”Haste clouds judgment. You end up lost instead of arriving faster.

• Proverbs 21:5 — “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”Quick fixes often bring long-term emptiness.

• Proverbs 29:20 — “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”Rushed speech ruins relationships and reputations.

• Ecclesiastes 7:9 — “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.”A hurried spirit fuels anger and foolishness.

Haste doesn’t only rob us of peace — it leads us straight into regret.

Jesus, the Cornerstone

The New Testament writers pick up Isaiah 28:16 and apply it directly to Jesus Christ (Romans 9:33, 1 Peter 2:6). He is the “precious cornerstone” God laid in Zion. Whoever builds their life on Him is not left ashamed, shaken, or scrambling.

When Jesus is your foundation, you don’t have to rush through life trying to hold everything together. He already holds it all.

Why Slowing Down Matters for Us

1. Slowing down builds trust. When you resist the urge to hurry, you’re making a quiet declaration: God is in control, not me.

2. Slowing down deepens presence. You begin to notice people, conversations, and even God’s voice when you’re not sprinting.

3. Slowing down brings stability. When life is grounded in Christ, you’re less tossed around by news, deadlines, and pressure.

A Practical Shift

Next time you feel the panic rising — the need to rush into a decision, to overcommit, to sprint without thinking — pause and remember Isaiah 28:16. God has already laid the cornerstone. Your life doesn’t rest on your hustle but on His foundation.

Instead of asking, How fast can I go? ask, Am I walking in step with Him?