It’s Harder Than You Think to Slow Down

(Why Advent Stillness Feels Impossible and Why You Need It)

Isaiah 40:31 says, “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.”
The early Church understood this waiting. Advent was not noise, ornaments, countdown calendars, or frantic schedules. It was soft hearts, quiet rooms, slow breath, and expectant hope. They believed silence made space for Christ to enter the soul.

This year, I realized how far I had drifted from that.

When Advent stopped feeling like Advent

For years, the Advent season had become less about Christ and more about finishing year-end goals, attending events, and shopping for gifts. I did not slow down. I just switched tasks. My mind never rested. My soul never breathed. I began to notice how much spiritual renewal I needed but could not seem to reach.

This year, our church began observing the Advent and Nativity fast together for the first time. Prayer. Altruism. Less social media. More reflection. I thought it would be simple. Instead, it revealed something painful.

Slowing down is incredibly difficult.
Not because I lack desire, but because the “Cult of Hustle” has shaped my pace.
Trying to observe the fast showed me how busy I really am and how hard it is to step off the hamster wheel.

But this struggle is the doorway to renewal.

Scripture points us to holy awareness

Isaiah 40:31 — “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.”

Stillness is not laziness. Stillness is renewal.

The saints practiced this slow expectation

St. Isaac the Syrian wrote, “When the heart grows quiet and humble, it becomes bright with the light of God.”

They knew waiting was not passive. It was preparation. It was the heart clearing space for the Light to enter.

Science confirms the wisdom of Advent stillness

When a person slows their breath, cortisol drops.
When the mind becomes quiet, the body enters what researchers call heart coherence — a calm and steady rhythm that stabilizes emotions and strengthens resilience.

Silence does what rushing cannot do.
It prepares the soul.

A simple Advent practice for today

• Slow your breathing for one minute (inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6)
• Sit in quiet for sixty seconds
• Whisper: “Lord, prepare my heart for Your coming”

These small practices shape the soul far more than rushing through the day.

Why this matters for professionals

Quiet hearts think clearer, lead steadier, and respond wiser.
When the inner world slows down, the outer world becomes manageable.
Stillness is not escape. Stillness creates room for strength.

Advent is not only spiritual preparation. It is emotional and professional restoration.

Closing encouragement

This year, as you enter the Advent season, do not be surprised if slowing down feels difficult. That resistance reveals how deeply the world has shaped our pace. But the effort is worth it.

A quiet heart is never an empty heart.
It is a heart ready for Christ.