The Unholiness of Hurry
Author: Tanner Reuss, Team Member
Do you feel like you never have a second to breathe or be still?
If you answered yes to this question, then you are probably stuck in the loop of hurry. Boy, have I been there before! In my most recent season of life, I was stuck in that loop of hurry, always living for tomorrow, to-do list seven miles long and not enjoying stillness. Not only did that dampen my relationship with the Lord, but it also greatly impacted my marriage and other relationships that I hold close to my heart. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness, the errands, the doing for others, the responsibilities — I’m here to share some biblical truth about why hurry can be detrimental to our walk with Jesus.
Jesus didn’t live a life of hurry and neither should we
This might feel a little jarring to read, right? It’s easy for us to assume Jesus’ life was one of hurry because of how short lived it was. But, in fact, it was actually quite the opposite. Jesus was on a heavenly schedule, moving only under God’s direction. We see this so clearly in John 2 when Jesus says “My time has not yet come.” He turns water into wine discreetly at the request of Mary, his mother, knowing that it wasn’t time for big public miracles just yet. In the same sentiment, we should be moving at God’s pace, which is not a pace of hurry; hurry is the pace of the world.
Living in a state of hurry directly effects our relationship with God
Like Jesus, we should be experiencing real, authentic intimacy with God every day. We see how to be intimate with God in Jesus’ example: going to the secret place in prayer and solitude. It was through this intimate time with God that Jesus found the strength to do what God asked of Him up to the very moment of His death. When we carve out time to be intimate with God, we experience revelation, confidence, peace and wisdom. When we don’t, a cloud of anxiety and fear of the future loom over us. Psalm 62:5 says “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.” I believe wholeheartedly in the validity of this verse, when we dwell in the presence of the Lord, hope is not a far off thing we are trying to find because it’s found in Him.
Living in a state of hurry leaves us burnt out
Have you ever felt so exhausted that you felt like you couldn’t continue? That’s what living in a constant state of hurry feels like. After a while, the fullness of our schedule leaves less time for anything except getting to the next thing. I don’t believe God is glorified in us feeling burnt out and too exhausted to do anything; nor do I believe that living for tomorrow is what God has for us. Our pace should be coming from the direction of the Holy spirit, we should not be filling our schedules to the brim without consulting and keeping Him in mind. Would He fill His in the same regard to you?
Living in a state of hurry increases temptation
Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard for us today to live a life as perfect as Jesus did? If you answered yes, I’d love to share my hunch on this topic with you. I believe wholeheartedly that those first 30 years before Jesus started His ministry, God was using to instill patience and the power of waiting into Him. I can speak to my own experience in this age where technology rules our brains, a lot of times, my own sin has come from the need for instant gratification. Satan loves nothing more than when we lack patience and make a knee-jerk decision, instantly gratifying our fleshly desires. In these moments, we don’t yield to the spirit—we don’t yield to anything except making sure that whatever need we think we have is instantly met. Jesus lived a perfect life because He understood the need for patience and waiting on the journey God was taking Him on.
Wherever you are in your walk today, struggling or thriving, our prayer here at TRS is that you would take the time to slow down and be in the presence of the Lord. Yield to Him, moving at His pace, lean into quiet time with Him, and count it all joy as He is teaching and instilling new principles of patience and waiting in your life. We love you and are praying for you, friend!