Hurry Is Incompatible With Love - Part 1
“Hurry and love are incompatible.” says John Mark Comer, the author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, a book I just finished nearly TWICE in a row. I am not kidding you; I listened to the book on audio a first time through and quickly knew this was going to be a book I would want to come back to again and again.
The book was released in 2019 and has been on my personal reading list for quite some time. It had a LONG wait time at the library, but the book (audio version that is) finally landed in my lap right at the time I needed it to. I can’t stop talking about it or thinking about it. And it’s already started to change the way I live. (More on that in Part 2.)
There are very few seasons of life that aren’t busy. Think about it. When you ask someone how they are doing, almost 9 times out of 10 they will respond with, “Good, just busy.” Even if they don’t say that directly, you can usually tell they are overbooked and behind on rest by the look in their eyes or their laundry list of activities they rattle off. Unfortunately, I think it gets even worse each passing year we get older. We tend to get more responsibilities and grow in efficiency to a point where what seemed to be moving at a hurried pace last year, you’d consider “slow” this year. Hurry is the rhythm of our lives and hustle is the beat of the drum we’re marching (or should I say sprinting?) to.
Being mid-December and only a few days away from Christmas, we are at the peak of a season that tends to be one of the busiest of them all. I looked forward to rest over Christmas break, but as I stare at my planner, I realize that almost every single day of the 1.5 weeks I have off work, we have plans. Time spent with family and friends, holiday parties and celebrations, a list of house projects to get done (who am I kidding, we won’t get to those), and a list I made for myself of things I wanted to see, do, and experience for either my own sake or my child’s sake. These are all wonderful things, but am I being intentional to carve out time for rest? Don’t get me wrong, some of our plans in place like spending time with close family and friends have the ability to be restful and unhurried. But much of the plans and experiences we prioritize this time of year are not.
I shared with a friend this past week over voice text that I can already tell I’m struggling heading into Christmas remembering the real reason behind the holiday. I know, I know. This sounds cliché coming from a Christian, doesn’t it? “Jesus is the reason for the season” is a phrase thrown around by Christians this time of year like candy at a 4th of July parade. People mean well, but I wonder how many of us actually slow down enough to think about what it meant for Jesus to choose to be fully man and fully God and come to us. After all, He didn’t have to. Do we meditate on how a holy God decided to leave His perfect place, AKA Heaven, for a sinful world that hated Him? Or how He humbled himself to come as a baby to an ordinary couple of first-time parents?
I know I don’t. I spend more time thinking about Christmas trees, Christmas cookies, and Christmas presents than I do about Jesus.
Ouch. That hurts to admit.
“Corrie ten Boom once said that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. There’s truth in that. Both sin and busyness have the exact same effect—they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul.” - John Mark Comer
I love this quote from The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. It stopped me in my tracks and still convicts me every time I read it. There is so much honesty in these few sentences that can be applied to any busy season really, but in terms of the holiday hustle and bustle, this is painstakingly true.
Do we consider our busyness this time of year a threat to our relationship with the one true God?
Do we take seriously our always being in a hurry and see it as a possible symptom of sin in our life?
Are we making time for rest and worship in the rhythms of our weeks and lives?
Many of us (myself included) will answer no to all, or at least a subset, of the above. So what are we to do about such a thing? Although I’ll share more in Part 2 about some recommended practices to create habits of rest and living an unhurried life, the good news is there is so much grace for us. God is not surprised by the fact we struggle such things, and He gives grace to the humble in spirit.
We must not brush this off and go back to thinking “what’s the big deal with living a busy life? Everyone else is doing it, and honestly, I don’t see another way.” While He is a gracious and compassionate God, He is still a just and jealous God. He desires to be in a relationship with you, and relationships require a painful amount of time and focus! The Apostle Paul warns us that our fleshly desires to success, keep up, and live busy, meaningful lives (in an earthly sense) will be in opposition to walking with God (the Spirit).
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Galations 5:16-17
Let’s change the question from “How do I un-busy myself?” heading into the holiday season to “How can I walk by the Spirit?”
Practical Application
Let’s prepare our hearts and make room for Him who Christmas is all about. Here’s a few things you can try to walk closer to the spirit during this busy season.
Read - There are so many wonderful scriptures to meditate on this time of year! If you need a recommendation of where to start or are looking to start a tradition with your family where you read the story of the birth of Jesus, I’d recommend reading all of Luke Chapters 1 and 2. This is a great way to kickoff Christmas morning. Before the presents are unwrapped and the cinnamon rolls are frosted, reading God’s word (any of the Gospels really, doesn’t have to be the book of Luke!) will prepare your heart to walk with the Spirit throughout the rest of your day. It also is a great way to set an example of “Word before World” with your children or really any family members you celebrate the day with.
Pray - Speaking of a great way to start the day, what if you opened Christmas morning with your children or the holiday party with the whole family with a prayer? Thanking God for sending His son, Jesus, to save us from ourselves. Speaking slowly and intentionally, not rushing through your words but allowing the peace and joy only found in Jesus to wash over you as you speak praises about Him.
We have to slow down to commune with God, and as a result, we trade our time that could have spent doing anything else for growing in our relationship with Him. The best gift of all!
Reflect - Looking at the next 1-2 weeks, maybe you have off work or maybe you’re squeezing holiday parties in between a crazy work week. Maybe you are staying home or maybe you’re traveling across the country to be with family. Maybe you will celebrate with only your parents or your children or maybe you’re heading to a large party with extended family and neighbors and friends.
No matter what the next few days or week brings, here are some questions I want you to consider for yourself and wrestle with:
Am I making time for rest or for Sabbath? (Hint: If you think rest will just happen if you are not intentional about it, you are probably incorrect in that thinking! Sabbath takes effort and planning, just like any other Christmas events on your calendar.)
Am I prioritizing walking with the Spirit through reading Scripture and prayer in this busy season?
If you answer no to question 1 or 2 or both, what is something you can do now to prepare for the hurried days ahead? Is there anything on your schedule or to do list that is unnecessary and can be cancelled/removed/postponed so you can intentionally spend time with God instead? How can you incorporate rest into your daily or weekly rhythms?
Have other ideas of ways to slow down and be intentional this holiday season? Drop your habits of rest and refreshment in the comments below or other recommended Scripture to read this time of year!
I hope that this season finds you unhurried and full of the Spirit. May the joy and peace of our Savior Jesus Christ be very real to you this Christmas. Have a blessed holiday season my friend!
Looking for Part 2? Click here to keep reading about how Hurry is Incompatible with Love!
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