THE RUTHLESS ELIMINATION OF HURRY
BUSYNESS
“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.” Dallas Willard
“Hurry is not just a dis-ordered schedule. Hurry is a dis-ordered heart.” – John Mark Comer
Slowing Down
Silence and Solitude
Sabbath
Simplicity
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor”
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or worry about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes…seek first [God’s] Kingdom.”
“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 NIV
“…But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect – life in its fullness until you overflow” John 10:10 TPT
Nothing is standing between you and a fully, blessed life
The Gospel of America
“Materialism has become the new, dominant system of meaning. Atheism hasn’t replaced cultural Christianity; shopping has.” Jean Baudrillard
“Amazon.com is the new temple. The Visa statement Is the new altar. Double clicking is the new liturgy. Lifestyle bloggers are the priests and priestesses. Money is the new god.” John Mark Comer
“For a lot of people, things aren’t just things; they are identities.” John Mark Comer
“We must shift America from a needs to a desires culture…People must be trained to desire, to want new things, even before the old have been entirely consumed. We must shape a new mentality. Man’s desires must overshadow his needs.”
Make sure we do ALL the math before we purchase something
What we buy doesn’t just affect our bank accounts; it affects our time
“Simplicity is an inward reality that can be seen in an outward lifestyle of choosing to leverage time, money, talents, and possessions toward what matters most.” – Richard Foster
“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand…why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?” – Henry David Thoreau
- Anything that does not add value to my life
- Anything that does not “spark joy”
- Too much stuff in too small of a space
- Anything we no longer use or no longer love
- Anything that leads to a feeling of disorganization
To live deliberately, we must first live intentionally
- Before you buy something, ask yourself, “what is the true cost of this item?”
- Never impulse buy
God isn’t against stuff.
If a purchase doesn’t have his blessing on it, do you really want it?
- Buy fewer, better quality things
- Get into the habit of giving things away
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 NLT
- Live by a budget
A budget is to money what a schedule is to your time
- Recognize advertising for what it is…Don’t give in to the lie
- Enjoy the blessings you’ve already been blessed with – build contentment
Is it possible that our society’s need for newer newer newer, better better better has watered down our gratitude for what God has blessed us with?
Slow Down
Silence and Solitude
Sabbath
Simplicity
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and youll recover your life. Ill show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I wont lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” – Eugene Peterson
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
“a yoke is a work instrument. Thus when jesus offers a yoke he offers what we might think tired workers need least. They need a mattress or a vacation, not a yoke.” Frederick Dale Bruner
“But jesus realizes that the most restful gift he can give the tired is a new way to carry life, a fresh way to bear responsibilities…realism sees that life is a succession of burdens; we cannot get away from them; so instead of offering an escape, jesus offers equipment.” Frederick Dale Brunner
An easy life isn’t an option; but an easy yoke is