Do you always find yourself always in a hurry? If yes, you need to read this. Hurriedness can be more dangerous than you have ever realized.
Once we were invited to spend two nights and three days on an island. We didn’t last long and we went home in less than a day and two nights. Life on the island is slow. You can definitely prove that with their internet connection.
However, the next time we were invited to spend a day and night in the mountains. That time, we really took it slow. We were not in a hurry. We enjoyed the scenery around us. We enjoyed the company of friends. We enjoyed playing with the dogs. We enjoyed walking up and down the muddy but luscious terrain. We enjoyed the cold weather. We enjoyed grilling our food.
In short, we stopped being in a hurry and simply enjoyed the moment.
This post is inspired by the book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer.
The hurriedness and busyness of life
If you are like me, I like to be busy. I despise doing nothing. I always look for something to do. If I find myself not doing anything, I feel guilty. Now, here’s a thing, brethren, there’s nothing wrong with being busy and productive. What’s wrong is always being in a hurry.
Hurriedness made normal by modern life
In our day and age where modern technology makes us faster, it seems that hurriedness is the new norm.
In the past century, when you had a lot of time on your hands, you were considered rich. Now, when you have a lot of time on your hands, you are considered poor.
After all, we see rich people are busy people, always in a hurry, trying to cram as much work as possible in a single day.
Think about Elon Musk, the richest man in the world right now. He once said that he works 120 hours per week!
To put that into perspective, a regular employee only works 40 hours a week.
In one interview, he even encouraged people to work more hours because that will set them apart from ordinary people.
[ALSO READ: Bible Verses Elon Musk Should Read (and why Overworking is Foolish)]
The past and present state
Can you guess how many hours people sleep before the invention of light bulbs? They sleep 10 to 11 hours each night!
Now, today, we are told that 7 hours is enough for the body to function. Some people are getting fewer hours of sleep.
In the past, mankind let God control the rhythm of their work and sleep by following the rising and setting of the sun. Now, mankind lets their employer control their lives by following their invented clock.
In the past, we walked a lot. Now, we have cars to bring us to far places. A trip of months became days with modern transportation.
We used to make food from scratch. Now we have takeouts.
We used to write letters by hand, now we have emails.
Where has all the time gone?
Modern technologies are supposed to save us more time, why does it seem that we have less time than ever? What’s wrong? What is happening?
The problem is that in exchange for the freedom we get from technology, we also spend the extra time we earn on unnecessary things.
Think about the findings of recent research made:
We touch our smartphones around 2,617 times a day, according to new research which found that phone screen time was 2.5 hours for the average user, and 3.75 hours for the heavy user.
Here’s the truth you must know: smartphone apps are deliberately and intentionally designed to grab your attention. They hired professional psychologists and neurologists to ensure their apps become as addictive as possible to keep you hooked up on your phone.
That’s why when you start using Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or even TikTok, you suddenly realize that you have already lost an hour!
Here’s a terrifying trend we must take note of.
In the past millennia, human beings have had a long attention span, until it was reduced to only 12 seconds in the year 2000. However, after the digital revolution, it dropped to eight seconds.
Now, if that doesn’t scare you, did you know that a goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds? Goldfish have a better attention span than human beings!
The hidden spiritual danger of hurriedness
Why am I telling you all these things? In other words, you may say, “So, what?”
Well, brethren, let me tell you, being always in a hurry is destructive not just mentally or physically, but also spiritually.
Whether we realize it or not, our spiritual life is in danger because of living life in the fast lane. We assume this is just normal, but this is actually not normal.
The danger is not that we are going to denounce our faith, but we begin to be too busy that we settle for an ordinary Christian life.
Jesus Christ and hurriedness
Let’s look at the life of Yahshua or popularly known as Jesus Christ.
Our Messiah is busy, but he is not in a hurry.
Have you ever read that Christ is always in a hurry? Correct me if I’m wrong, but as far as I know, I don’t see any instance when Christ was in a hurry.
Do you? If you read that, please let me know.
But oftentimes, we see how Yahshua wasn’t in a rush. When he heard that Lazarus was sick and dying, he didn’t rush but waited for a few days before he would visit his close friend.
The Messiah always walked on foot. When he needed transportation, he didn’t choose a thoroughly bred horse, but only a colt.
There’s a reason we would more often say we walk by faith or we walk with God. It didn’t say, we run or sprint by faith or run with God. Of course, we know of the analogy of running a race, but that isn’t about always being in a hurry.
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Christ, Jairus, and hurriedness
Just to give you a solid example, let’s read a story here in Luke 8:40–56.
40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
So, the story is set here. We have Yahshua and Jairus whose daughter was dying. Christ agreed to go to the house of Jairus to heal his daughter.
But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
When all these things were happening, you can just imagine how Jairus might have felt. Remember, his daughter was dying and time is of the essence!
I can just imagine how Jairus was nervously waiting for Yahshua to finish. In his mind, they should hurry up, or else, it would be too late.
Yet, we see here how Yahshua wasn’t in a hurry. Instead of rushing to Jairus’ house, He took the time to heal the woman.
49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
Jairus received news about what he feared the most. His daughter has already died. Maybe, he was thinking, “If only Christ would have rushed, his daughter would still be alive. Now, all hope is gone.”
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. We read:
50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
As you can see, Yahshua’s timing is still perfect. Even though Jairus’ daughter was dead, she came back to life.
We see here how Yahshua wasn’t always in a hurry. He took the time to notice everyone. He doesn’t just see things but observes things.
And you can’t do that if you’re always in a hurry.
Hurriedness destroys a lot of things
Brethren, are you always in a hurry? Why not take it slow.
Think about the activities that you have in a day. What are the unnecessary things in your life that you can remove? What are the things that you are doing that are eating up your time? What would it take for you to stop being in a hurry?
You see brethren, you need to eliminate hurriedness in your life.
Think about how much time you could devote more to prayer, meditation, and bible study if you don’t use too much Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram?
Think about how much time you can give to your family, friends, and loved ones if you stop binging on Netflix, playing video games, or fighting for the wrong things in life?
If you think about it brethren, when was the last time you felt peaceful when you frantically tried to weave through traffic because you were running late?
When was the last time you were able to be joyful when you are always looking at the clock?
When was the last time you were able to love when you can’t wait before a conversation is over?
When was the last time when you are fully immersed in prayer when you can’t stop thinking of the things you must do throughout the day?
That’s why I really love when the Sabbath comes. I don’t feel guilty stopping from my work. It’s a weekly reminder from our Creator to take it easy, to relax, to rest.
[LEARN MORE: 15 Reasons to Keep the Sabbath]
Sometimes, we try to become too much or to do too much that we forget that we are humans with limited time.
We can’t cram 2 days’ worth of work in a day.
Do you ever experience what they call “sunset fatigue?”
It is when you do so much work in a day that once you go home, you don’t have enough energy for your loved ones anymore.
Learning to take it slow
I hope we take the initiative to change, brethren. Because if we keep doing things in a hurried state, our physical, emotional, social, and spiritual life will suffer.
Now, I know there are legitimate times when we have to hurry. There are things that are just beyond our control, which cause us to hurry.
However, what I’m addressing here is the constant state of hurriedness that could destroy us.
It takes tremendous wisdom to do this. Thus, I want to leave you with these inspiring words from our Savior and Master, Yahshua in Matthew 11:28-29:
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Are you always in a hurry? Come to God. Come to Yahshua. There, you will find rest.
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A very important message in these times.
Thanks Moses!