Living An Unrushed Life | Northstar Church

“We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” – Psalm 39:6-7

Do you ever feel rushed? Most people do. They find themselves running from one errand to another. Replying to one email after another. Having one conversation after another. Saying yes to help one person after another. And at the end of most days, they are either worn out from all those rushed moments or feeling anxious about all the demands the next day will bring. The answer is finding a way to be a little less rushed, a little less in a hurry. To do that, we need to look at the life of Jesus. His decisions. His lessons.

Jesus never rushed. Intentionality, yes. Rushing, no. Jesus knew pressure. He knew stress. People pulled at Him everywhere He went. Crowds demanded His attention. Individuals begged for healing. The disciples wanted leadership. Friends wanted time with Him. The religious rulers wanted answers. There was an entire world to save. All of this in the span of three years.

Almost every miracle story is someone interrupting Jesus when He’s on his way to go somewhere. The leper shouts out “Lord, have mercy on me” and Jesus stops and walks over to where the leper is and heals him. The bleeding woman stops Jesus and is healed by Him and He takes a moment and talks to her. Almost every single person that was healed or helped by Jesus interrupted Him. Do you know why? Jesus was not in a hurry. If you’re in a hurry and someone stops you and needs prayer, or needs a listening ear, and you don’t have time for them, then we are not a representation of Christ to them. You cannot be in a hurry and be loving to others.

Scripture gives us some insight into what to do when we are in a hurry; in short, we are asked to wait on the Lord. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 37:7 adds, “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act….” Micah 7:7 says, “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.” James 5:8: “You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

Part of our spiritual, and even physical lives must be spent in waiting. Don’t live your life in the express lane. Take time from your rushed day to sit down before the Lord and wait on Him. The next time you feel rushed or overwhelmed, remind yourself of God’s words which tell us to rest in Him. Turn off the TV, the radio, or whatever distraction is before you just now, and spend some time waiting on the Lord.

Discussion Questions:

Evaluate your schedule. Is there room for God to move in your life and space for you to hear His voice?
Is your life too hurried? What can you cut to make room to rest?