Signals Trying to Save Us
A Call to Slow Down: Pause. Assess. Proceed.
There are times when we are in such a rush that we miss the most important messages in life . Have you missed a signal, a warning, a gentle nudge? I have, and I’ll never forget it.
One Sunday after church, I hurried out to my car. As I prepared to drive away, I realized I didn’t have my phone on me. Being that it wasn’t the first time I’d left it inside and the TIMES it happened before so I quickly ran back in to grab it. What I didn’t realize was that I had left the car in Drive.
Next thing I know I am in the middle of the street and everyone screaming—I ran as fast as I could. Unfortunately by the time I got in the car, my vehicle had rolled down—and hit another woman’s minivan. Thank God nothing happened to her car, but mine was damaged. If her vehicle hadn’t been there to stop mine, my car would’ve kept rolling… right into a busy main road. Who knows what kind of tragedy might have unfolded?
God is always giving us signals, second chances and protecting us. I’m sure my car had beeped to warn me that I left on gear, but because I was distracted and in such a rush I didn’t hear it. I wasn’t present. I was disconnected.
A recent morning, the Lord reminded me of that moment again. I had parked in my carport and accidentally left the gear in reverse. My car beeped again, and this time I was more focused and listened. I paused and looked at the dashboard and I caught it before anything moved or broke.
I heard in my spirit: “How many times do we do this in life?”
How many warning signs have we missed because we were too distracted, too tired, too overloaded, or simply too focused on what’s next? That tension in your shoulders. The forgetfulness you brush off as “just being tired”…That short temper, emotional exhaustion, or sudden tearfulness…Those are waning signals.
Invitations to pause.
When We Ignore the Body’s Dashboard
Ignoring these signals doesn’t just affect our mental or emotional health. It affects our physical well-being too. We live in a culture that rewards hustle, but that same hustle can lead to high blood pressure, adrenal fatigue, anxiety disorders, and even depression.
Heart attacks often give subtle warnings before they happen, fatigue, shortness of breath, pain in the jaw or back. But many of us ignore the signs, thinking it’s just stress or something we ate that didn’t settle right with our bodies. Diabetes sometimes begins with increased thirst, fatigue, or blurry vision. Ugh, how often do we blame that on being tired or dehydrated?
Even something as simple as bloating or migraines can be the body saying, “Something isn’t right. Slow down. Pay attention.”
Rushing Without Reason
Today I rushed the entire afternoon to meet a friend for coffee. I rushed through clients, skimmed emails, drove over an hour running errands, shoved four spoonfuls of food down my throat—just to make it to this café by 5.
Only to realize something: I had been ignoring the fact that my calendar never alerted me about this meeting. Not at 7 a.m., not an hour prior to the meeting time as supposed to, not at all.
Do you see what happened?
The busyness of life can blind us. We miss signals that are meant to keep us in order. Other times, our heightened nervous system convinces us we must do something, when in reality, we don’t. We stay on autopilot, running at high speed, never pausing to look closer.
When we set a reminder, it should go off. If it doesn’t, we need to pause and double-check. If we hear, see, or feel a signal, we must:
Pause. Assess. Proceed.
Our bodies are beautifully designed to communicate, just like modern cars. They beep. They alert. They flash warning lights. But the longer we ignore those signals, the more damage we risk: wasted time, missed opportunities, and increasing depletion—mentally, spiritually, and physically.
Thankfully, today wasn’t a loss. I used the time at the café to write this, sip my latte (two for one, thanks to a kind barista), and do a quiet moral inventory of my hang-ups and unhealthy habits.
Sometimes, the “missed meetings” of life become invitations to realignment. That’s God’s grace in action.
Ask yourself:
What signals have I been ignoring lately, emotionally, physically, or spiritually?
Have I created space in my life to pause and listen?
Did I check again, that I am not doing something out of the habit of rushing that I am not supposed to?
Am I moving so fast that I’ve stopped hearing God’s gentle nudges?
What is one small thing I can do today to slow down and check in with myself?
Who or what have I been neglecting while living in a constant state of rush?
Pray with me:
Lord, thank You for the seen and unseen signal, that You place before me. Forgive me for the times I’ve rushed past Your voice, ignored my body’s warnings, or silenced my soul’s cries. Help me to slow down. To check the dashboard of my life and to make room for rest, reflection, and healing. I surrender the pace I’ve been keeping, and I invite Your peace to take the lead. Please remind me that wellness begins in surrender. May I surrender to your love, peace, and presence throughout the day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
©️2025 Denise Kilby New Hope MHCLC Assoc. All rights reserved.
