On Strike Against Busyness

As a church we just wrapped up a study of the spiritual disciplines.  If you want to continue exploring them, I highly recommend John Ortberg's The Life You've Always Wanted.  Great, great book.  On Sunday I borrowed some thoughts from his chapter on hurried sickness.

Today we have more time saving devices than any people group in world history, but feel like we have less time.  Have you ever wondered why?  Here's some big news about busyness.

We think we can't rest because we're so busy.  But maybe the reason we're so busy is that we don't know how to rest.  What if busyness is a symptom of our inability to rest rather than the cause?

Several of us decided to take a deep breath this holiday season and declare a strike on busyness!  If you're interested in joining us, here are some tips on practicing the discipline of "slowing."

• Drive in the slow lane.  I know, for some of you this is beyond imagination.  But why not try it for one week?  Stare your hurried sickness in the face!  Give your horn a vow of silence.  Let the slow cars pass you and speak a blessing over them on their way by:)
• Eat slowly.  Pick one meal this week and wait five minutes between bites.
• Pick the longest line at the grocery store.  And once you're in it, let at least one person pass you.  If you're like me you'll feel your heart rate speeding up and realize how sick you really are.
• Review your day with God.  Before you go to sleep, take five minutes to be still.  Watch your day unfold like a video in your mind.  Pray for the people you interacted with.  Ask God for forgiveness and fruit.  Thank Him for his grace.  And sleep!

I don't think we hurry because our lives are so full.  We hurry because we suffer from a vague fear of wasting our lives.  So we fill our day with incessant activity, not really sure where we're going but getting there fast.  Meanwhile we hope to stumble into meaning.

The disciplines of solitude and slowing help us cut through the clutter with a laser-like focus on personal mission.  Then, like Jesus, we stay connected to the heart of life and remember, this is why I have come.

Comments

[Alan Wilkerson]

I needed to hear this again. There is an old IVP booklet titled "Tyranny of the Urgent" that has been meaningful as well.
Peace
Alan

[kate griffin]

GREAT POST Brad! I can't wait for Leah's shower this Saturday at APC! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving

[Cindy]

Wow. Thank you, I needed this!