"HURRY SICKNESS"? IS THAT A THING?

 

JULY 3, 2023

 

Matthew 11:30

 “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

What are you like when you are hurrying? How many of you would say that when I am rushed or hurrying I exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? If we are honest, chances are, we are not exactly reflecting the fruit of God’s Spirit in those moments of busyness. More likely we are impatient, annoyed, often late, overlooking or stepping on people, self-important, maybe even rude. Do you agree?


Too much of a rushing and frantic pace can cause what some call “hurry sickness”. The symptoms of this sickness include:

• Lack of time
• Lack of meaning
• Lack of compassion
• Lack of grace

That is not the kind of life that any of us desire. That is why Jesus invites us into a less hurried kind of life. As author Dallas Willard says, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” And whether we realize it or not, that is a choice that we can make.

How often do you feel that your life controls you, instead of you controlling your life? If that’s you today, consider that it might be time for some changes in your life. I believe that the adjustments we may require is to pay close attention to our choices, evaluate their impact on our life and then take the step with the assistance of God’s Spirit, to align, or as Jesus puts it “yoking” yourself with the Jesus way of living.

As we begin a new week, why don’t we take inventory of the way we spend our time, and the tempo at which we run? How might you ruthlessly eliminate hurry from that pace?

REFLECT

After you do that inventory of your life, consider trying one or more of the following this week to eliminate hurry in your life:

1. set a time to practice slowing down
2. take advantage of opportunities to wait
3. schedule time to be alone
4. learn to say “no” to things
5. take a weekly Sabbath