It states (Shemos 12:11), הוא פסח בחפזון אתו ואלכתם 'לה, "Eat it in haste because it is a korban Pesach for Hashem." Rashi, in one explanation, writes that the korban is called פסח, which literally means jumping, because "You shall do all of its mitzvos l’shem shomayim in the form of leaping and rushing, as it is called פסח."
The korban Pesach was associated with rushing, as its name denotes. It was eaten in haste, as it states חגרים מתניכם אתו תאכלו וככה בידכם ומקלכם ברגליכם נעליכם, that we should eat the korban Pesach girded in belts, shoes on our feet, and our walking sticks in our hands to show that we are prepared to leave immediately.
However, all these halachos applied exclusively to the first korban Pesach, the one sacrificed in Mitzrayim. This element of haste doesn't appear in subsequent Korban Pesachs.
The Tzidkas HaTzaddik explains that this describes two types of avodas Ha-shem. "When a person begins avodas Hashem, he must act with haste as we see that the very first korban Pesach had to be eaten in a hurry. All other korban Pesachs don’t need to be eaten that way. This is because when one begins serving Hashem, one must detach himself from the temptations of this world to which he is so attached. Therefore, when he has a moment of inspiration, he must quickly grasp the opportunity. But afterwards, he should take slow, gradual steps, as is demonstrated by the subsequent korban Pesachs."
So, there are times when a person must jump in and hastily improve his ways. However, the general rule is that one should grow gradually, step by step.
Hashem didn’t command Pharaoh to free the Yidden forever. Instead, he asked that he let the Yidden go for a three-day holiday in the desert to serve Hashem, after which they would return. This is because Hashem doesn’t expect a person to do more than he can handle. Pharaoh wasn't capable of sending out the Yidden from Mitzrayim forever, so Hashem requested less. Similarly, when doing teshuvah, be aware that it is a process, and it takes time. Hashem doesn’t expect more than we can handle.
A student once saw Reb Binyamin Rabinowitz zt'l studying seven hours straight without interruption, so he asked Reb Binyamin how he attained such a level of hasmadah. Reb Binyamin replied, "When I was younger, I made a kabbalah to learn the first fifteen minutes of seder without interruption. After doing this for a while, I took on myself not to speak for the first half-hour of seder. Then, from time to time, I added on some more time, and now I am up to seven hours straight, without interruption."
