A lot of breakthroughs for me start with a book I read.
This one is no different.
A few years ago, my brother and his wife both suggested a book for us to read. Rachel read it about a year ago, but I just never made time for it with other books I was reading.
I picked it up a couple weeks ago, and it has felt like new life for my soul!
The book: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer.
As I read through this book (to be honest, I'm not finished with it as I write this), I am reminded of many different things.
I think back to my burnout in a career I thought I would be in forever. I had so much anxiety under the surface that I didn't know how to handle or address.
I was constantly looking to please and perform and prove myself, yet I wasn't letting myself enjoy each phase I was in.
Hurry can be called by many different names and terms: hustle, drive, desire.
I can see now that I was becoming less and less satisfied with myself or others who would focus on those words.
"I have to hurry and finish this."
"Let's go hustle and produce more."
"I have a drive that can't be stopped."
"All good things start from a desire for more."
Yet they each led to worry and stress.
"Was I making enough money?"
"Was I doing enough?" "Was I proving my worth to people?"
My desires were out of control and not driving me to any satisfaction of fulfillment.
In reading through this book, it has brought more clarity to my own life.
What would happen if I slowed down?
What would happen if I lived differently?
What would happen if I thought about things differently?
Comer challenges us to intentionally practice a few disciplines to counter-attack the lifestyle of hurry.
Silence and solitude.
Sabbath.
Simplicity.
Slowing.
I have partly done each of those things the past two years, not realizing what I was doing.
I didn't know what I needed to heal and recover my soul, yet I was drawn to some of these.
Now that I have begun to recover from the lifestyle of hurry and haste, I find myself drawn to it again.
You'd think I would learn, but sometimes I learn lessons slowly!
Let's ask those last 3 questions again:
- What would happen if I slowed down?
- What would happen if I lived differently?
- What would happen if I thought about things differently?
When we begin to Think Better, we are poised to begin to Live Better.
Whether we actually begin to Live Better is up to us.
So, pause and think.
And then act!
How will you respond to those questions?
There's a new level of peace and contentment on the other side of answering those questions.
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