An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus' Rhythms of Work and Rest

by Alan Fadling

"I am a recovering speed addict." Beginning with this confession, pastor and spiritual director Alan Fadling goes on to describe his journey out of the fast lane and into the rhythms of Jesus. Following the framework of Jesus' earthly life, Fadling shows how the work of "unhurrying" ourselves is central to our spiritual development in such pivotal areas as resisting temptation, caring for others, praying and making disciples. Here is a book that affirms that we are called to work and to do work. Productivity is not a sin―it is the attitudes behind our work that can be our undoing. So how do we find balance between our sense of calling and the call to rest? An Unhurried Life offers a way.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Living, Spirituality, Religion

198 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2013

About the author

Alan Fadling (M. Div., Fuller Theological Seminary) is President and Founder of Unhurried Living, Inc. in Mission Viejo, CA, inspiring people to rest deeper, live fuller and lead better. He speaks and consults internationally, as well as nationally with organizations such as Saddleback Church, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Cru, Halftime Institute, Apprentice Institute and Open Doors International. He is the award-winning author of An Unhurried Life (IVP 2013), honored with a Christianity Today Award of Merit in spirituality, and of An Unhurried Leader (IVP 2017). He is a trained spiritual director. He lives in Mission Viejo, California with his wife, Gem, and their three sons.

Reviews

[Clint Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was starting out in ministry, I had an interesting habit. I would start the morning reading poetry. Not biblical poetry mind you, but just good poetry. I would read the work of Rilke, Berrigan, and even Jewel as I started my day in the office. I am not sure exactly what inspired me to do this. But the reason I did it was to slow my mind down. I am not a poet, nor am I a natural poetry reader, but as I took time to read the poems, ponder them, and somehow integrate them into my thoughts, these poems helped me slow down enough to listen to the Word as I studied, listen to my coworkers, listed to those I was caring for, and listen to the Spirit leading and guiding me. Instead of a to-do list to start the day, I began focusing on the attitude I wanted to have and the person I wanted to be. I miss those poetry mornings these days. And An Unhurried Life reminded me why. If I am going to be the kind of person and pastor I want to be, I have to slow down a little, be present more, and allow God to do his work in me and through me.

This is a wonderful book, that really attacks hurry for the soul sickness it is at every level. Fadling exposes our hurried pace of life, and through quotes of the ancients shows that this hurry sickness is not unique to our generation. As a matter of fact, through the Biblical examples he cites later in the book, Fadling shows that the lack of patience and trust that fuels hurry was a part of humanity's first sin, and challenging Jesus to rush God and his timing is part of how Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness.

Fadling anticipates misunderstandings well and confronts them directly. An unhurried life, he clearly communicates, is not a lazy life. Nor is it a self-centered one. Rather, it is a thoughtful, meaningful way of living that is modeled after the spirituality of Jesus.

As I read this book, I began to wonder about how I live my life. Why am I in such a hurry to get so many things done if I have an eternal life in front of me? Why am I letting other people's anxieties and my concerns drive me instead of the grace and truth of Jesus Christ? Why I am so eager to accomplish things that only God can accomplish through me?

I will keep coming back to this book as I journey through my life and ministry. It is a convicting book, but a comforting book at the same time. As such, it was exactly what I needed at this time in my life.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so good. One of those books that speaks right to me. I started reading this before all the Covid-19 stay at home orders and quarantines etc., but it did fit quite thematically with this stage of life! I love that the author’s main point is not about having margin in our schedules, maintaining boundaries, becomingn minimalist, or any other buzzwords that might come to mind when you think of the word “unhurried.” His point is that we “unhurried” is a state of our spirit, and that if we are to truly take Jesus at his word, it is in the midst of being weary and burdened that we can come to HIM and find rest. There is no perfect balance of the right amount of activity vs. rest, stuff vs. less stuff. Only in Jesus can we be unhurried even when life is hurried. Even when life is unhurried.

There were so many nuggets of wisdom and unique ways of thinking about things that I haven’t encountered before. I often had to put the book down after reading just a couple of paragraphs because I needed to process all the new thoughts. One idea I keep coming back to is acedia, coming from the Greek “not” and “to care.” In the chapter on productivity Fadling writes, “acedia is ultimately a failure of love. It’s a place of apathy toward life and a kind of spiritual boredom; it’s that umpteenth lap somewhere between the enthusiasm of the starting line and the celebration of the finish line. ... Acedia tempts us to abandon the life we have for some imagined better option somewhere else—as in “anywhere but here”! ... Though it might seem unhurried from a certain perspective, acedia is rooted in a restless, distracted, and yes, hurried heart.” Oof. Since reading that I have noticed this attitude so often in my thoughts. Certainly in big ways but also in small ways. While I’m making macaroni and cheese for my kids and I’m waiting for the water to boil, I’ve become accustomed to needing the distraction of my phone, the voyeurism of social media or the dreaming of better things while shopping online, while I wait five minutes. My mind gets anxious at the thought of having to wait, of not filling my mind with more and more.

Whoopsie that’s a bit of self-review rather than book review, but there were so many thoughts in this book like acedia that I notice in my own life and having been turning over in my heart and mind since reading them. I know that this book is in my top five paradigm shifting Christian books that I have read. I say that without actually having a top five, but if I did I know it would be in there! (Although that makes me think what my top five would be .... hmmmm. Off the top of my head in no order, The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace, When the Darkness Will Not Lift by John Piper, Fit to Burst by Rachel Jankovic and/or Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, and maybe honorable mention for Spiritual Disciplines Of the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. Hmmm, I’ll have to give this some more thought.)

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Fadling shares insights learned which make time in our fast-paced society to wait on and listen to God. He shows the importance God placed on rest by emphasizing the Sabbath as well as the seven-year rests for the land itself. I really appreciated the insights offered by the author as well as his study of the subject evidenced by quotes from classic and modern authors. While I think his message is to be intentional in making a time alone with God, his guidance in helping people prioritize what is important and what needs to be dropped could perhaps be improved. I sometimes allow myself to become too overbooked, and Fadling's message showed me I need to slow down. I need to find time to enjoy life so I can hear God speak. I want to dig into some of the works cited.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is much easier to read then to put into practice in our fast-paced culture and even ministry life. A lot of his concepts were not new to me but I seem to need constant reminders that communion with our Father is what will produce fruit in His kingdom. I was also challenged by what does an unhurried life look like in the areas of suffering and maturity. Would definitely recommend.

[Matthew McGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t love his writing style at times, but MAN OH MAN did the truths in this book HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS. Such refreshing and needed truth. To live the unhurried life in communion with Jesus and experience Kingdom life now. Such a needed book in a culture and time in my life where I’m obsessed with the busyness of life right in front of me. I 100% need to slow down and experience rhythms of life in a way the biblical authors invite me into. So good.

[Rod Innis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some good aspects of this book but it was long and repetitive as well as quite disjointed.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading up on business and distraction (most recently Celeste Headlee’s book Do Nothing) and for some reason, I didn’t think to read about how busyness related to Christianity; a glaring omission given that I try to live out Christianity the best I can. Somehow, though, I stumbled upon An Unhurried Life in the library’s ebook catalogue and I immediately borrowed it.

An Unhurried Life advocates that we slow down so that we can walk with God the way Jesus did. The book makes the following points:

- Walking with God means walking at His pace, not at our pace (and it cannot be rushed)

- If Jesus can take time out of his ministry to slow down and be in God’s presence, you can too

- Being unhurried doesn’t mean you’re being lazy and being hurried doesn’t mean you’re being productive (think of when Jesus told Martha that Mary sitting at his feet instead of rushing to serve him was the right choice)

- Slowing down has other benefits, such as being able to resist temptation, love people properly (being in a rushed frame of mind makes it easy to ignore the time-intensive demand of loving others), pray properly, help with our spiritual maturity, and prevent burnout.

Plus the usual about how we’re all hurrying too much and it’s not good for us, points that will not be new to you if you’ve read other books on busyness and the need to slow down.

Each chapter ends with a list of questions to consider, making this useful if you want to study it in a group – I think I might suggest this book to my cell group for this reason, as we re-examine the reason for our meetings and how we can encourage each other in our walk with God, not just our knowledge of God. The book ends with suggestions on how we can stop hurrying, including having extended personal communication with God and making sure we get enough sleep.

Personally, I resonated the most with the initial chapters on how hurrying and a mindset of busyness can interfere with our walk with God. I definitely feel as though I should be productive and busy all the time and it does make me want to rush through devotion time (even if the only things I’ve planned afterwards are some stretching exercise!). I thought this book was a great reminder that as I seek to slow down, the benefits should not only be in terms of mental health but also spiritual health.

That said, while I loved the initial chapters, I did feel like the later chapters were a bit of a stretch about the benefits on being unhurried (such as the ones on suffering and maturity). I ended up skimming through those, but I guess it’s possible this will resonate with me if I reread the book at a different stage in life.

Overall, I found this to be a practical and encouraging book that deepened my reflections about slowing down and the mindset of busyness/hustle culture. If you’re a Christian and you’ve been feeling burnt out, this would be one of the books that I recommend to you.

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[Ella Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book presented topics that i feel are rarely discussed in the Christian walk. #1: jesus was relaxed. #2: we are living in eternity NOW (time and eternity are concurrent, not sequential). #3: if love had feet, they would stroll, not sprint (“love is willing to slow down enough to bear the cost of caring”). #4: rest is a gift from god and is to be completed in tandem with ministry; both converge to create a rhythm of trust in God’s gracious timing. #5: we often pursue work for God in order to avoid the face of God.

Each of these points were deeply convicting and highlighted areas of my heart that needed reshaping. falding writes with confidence, humility, conviction, and eloquence. i would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to strengthen their understanding of jesus’ command to take upon his yoke and burden which is “easy and light” when carried in the light of his eternal rest. this book also provided lots of scriptural and theological references as well as practical applications and reflection questions. loved it!

[Cara Grandle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this book on so many levels. I’ve been recovering from long covid for over a year and several of the points and perspectives were medicine to my heart.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Fadling contends many of us are suffering from hurry sickness, and that it is not only detrimental to our bodies but also to our souls. We are going too fast to hear God, to fast to grow deeply, too fast to discern the temptations that lead us astray.

He begins by painting a picture of the frenetic life that characterizes modern life. He contrasts this with the idea of apprenticeship with Jesus, the unhurried learning with him. He argues from the life of Jesus that unhurry isn't laziness and that there is no such thing as holy hurry, only holy unhurry. Unhurry enables us to resist temptations, which often come in the form of pressure to take shortcuts to some seemingly good thing. Unhurry gives us time to stop and care, to stop and pray. Sabbath is the gift of unhurried rest for God's people. The next chapters (8 and 9) were most significant for me. He talks about suffering and how it can stop us in our tracks and take us into a place of unhurry where we meet God. And he talks about maturity, which if it is to happen well and deeply, cannot happen fast.

He concludes with a helpful chapter on practices for unhurry including EPC (Extended Personal Communion with God) which seemed to me another word for taking periods of spiritual retreat. Perhaps most helpfully, he suggests a one-third rule in the learning of spiritual practices, where one third of one's learning time is devoted to actual practice. He also commends the practices of slowing down (for example, driving in the slow lane) and sleep, of which too many of us are deprived. His last chapter is on eternal life, in which we are already living. An eternal perspective can help us by reminding us that such a life is life with the Triune God, and that we are already where Christ is with God and this is what most matters.

I appreciated this book for its practicality (an eternal perspective is intensely practical!). I also appreciated his challenges to the numbers mentality that sets aside apprenticeships to pursue the fickle masses. Unhurried, deep work in the lives of people will touch many, as it did with Jesus work with the twelve. And this is what the author contends will happen when we follow Jesus in his rhythms of work and rest.

[Natalie Shawver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the slow life—making a cup of tea each morning, taking a walk, reading a book. These things bring me joy and contentment. I'm a simple gal.

It's no wonder I immediately gravitated towards Alan Fadling's book, An Unhurried Life. That's what I want! No rushing! No calendars full of allthethings! Just living life at my own pace, day by day. (This is not to say I don't enjoy spending time with family and friends ... of course I do! I just relish in the unplanned.)

As a self-proclaimed recovering "speed addict", Fadling was burnt out. He describes his journey out of the fast lane of life and into the rhythms of Jesus, showcasing how the work of "unhurrying" ourselves is central to our spiritual development—and I couldn't have agreed more. While we are called TO work and DO work, the attitudes behind our work can be our undoing. We've got to find a balance and this book offered just that. I highlighted and tabbed nearly every page!

Here are a few of my favorite passages/thoughts:
- Jesus was the ultimate 'unhurried' person: after waiting 30 years to start his ministry, the first thing he did was follow the Spirit into 40 days in the wilderness. He was willing to wait. And throughout his life, Christ often withdrew to lonely places to pray–despite a life full of ministry responsibilities and opportunities, he practiced disengagement to be with the Father.
- Hurrying "puts us at risk of running past God's way for us; we somehow think that rushing about will put us on a fruitful path to God, but the opposite is usually try. Taking the unhurried way enables us to be attentive to God's presence and guidance."
- "Genuine productivity is not about getting as muhc done for God as we can manage. It is doing the good work God actually has for us in a given day."
- "When it comes to machines and technology, faster is always better. When it comes to love, the same is not always true. After all, love has a rather constant speed. It is a slow speed, a spiritual speed."

Feeling like you need to slow down? Read this book. It's a beautiful sentiment on how the Lord wants us to live, especially in such a fast-paced world as today. It really put things in perspective for me ... that rest isn't idle and all of that other stuff is just stuff! Highly recommend—would make for a great small group, Bible study, mom's group, individual study ... you name it!

[Demetrius Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you had one word to describe Jesus, what would it be? Relaxed.” That might be my favorite line in the book, and the one that sets the tone for the rest of the work. Can you imagine what our lives would look like if we let that truth become our reality.

Alan Fadling helps his reader contemplate what the pace of grace looks like, over and against the frenetic pace Western culture holds up for us as the standard. Fadling reminds us that God does things slowly. A reality we sorely need to accept.

And I’m fascinated by Fadling’s vision for the church on page 49—"The goal of ministry is not to keep people busy, but to keep them from being busy, so they can hear the voice of God.” What would our communities look like if we valued availability, and actually used it to cultivate relationship and prayer? I think we get nervous that if we created space like that though, people would just fill it up with various forms of entertainment and media. So, we opt for busy. But I love how Fadling puts it on page 94, “Hurry is the death of prayer.”

Do we love spending time in prayer? Do we value it? Not only does the author challenge our personal prayer life, but he also challenges our leadership on page 149, “Many of us in leadership role positions has overemphasized the power of our public work of teaching, planning, preaching, organizing, counseling and so on, and underemphasized the power of our quiet work of simply praying.”

This is a book primarily about creating space for (re)connecting with God. And in order to do so we will need practice the art of disengaging. Becoming unavailable. For, as Fadling says, “A person who is always available is not worth much when he is available.”

[Rich Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was glad that I took the time to listen to this insightful book. So many of us are hurried by trying to pack so much in to our days. The author cites scripture, personal stories, and the writings and experiences of others to get us thinking of slowing down on purpose.

Even in a time when life changes occur and the pace seems to slow we realize that there is so much we want to do. Here in this book we are reminded that eternity is unhurried. We step into eternity as we live unhurried. It's a bold goal.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an unexpected gem and gave me much to ponder. The chapter on rest was one of the best I have read on the subject, and I also appreciated the unhurry involved in maturity. There are practices that I want to immediately begin on my own and with others.

I borrowed this book from the library but expect it will be something I will come back to again.

[Tim Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. So rich. So worth your time.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

He had many profound insights I haven’t heard before. This book holds a lot of depth. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes to be busy.

[Levi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had this book for years and never slowed down enough I really consider it. Great principles that can be applied to ministry workers and any believer.

[Shân Petry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a big life lesson for many of us!

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of helpful encouragements to slow down and spend more time with God.

[Kaetlyn Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was refreshing to me during a season of intense burnout after starting and growing my own business. Sadly a few years later, Fadling began engaging with and promoting the enneagram (rooted in the occult) so I can no longer recommend his works in good conscience. This book standing alone however is very thought-provoking in the face of hustle culture.

[Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's a brief outline that I will re-visit to remember this book:

1. A Frenetic Life
-Jesus' life can be described as RELAXED even as important and busy as it was
2. An Unhurried Apprentice
-The author speaks of the 'pace of grace', living with God at the pace of a walk
3. Productivity: Unhurried Isn't Lazy
-relax, withdraw and linger in God's presence
4. Temptation: Unhurried Enough to Resist
-grab, take charge vs. prove God cares by living at the pace of grace
-Holy unhurry flourishes in a heart full of hope
5. Unhurried Enough to Care
-have patience, see God's agenda vs. insist on giving into hurry sickness
6. Unhurried Enough to Pray
-include the habit of withdrawing enough to give the Father my full attention
7. Rest: The Rhythm of Creation
-Like Eve in the Garden, being at rest and trusting; vs. hurrying and testing God
8. Suffering: Unexpected Unhurrying
-know God Cares; He slows us down mercifully
9. Maturity: Growing Up Takes Time
-being taught and learning to draw on the grace of God
10. Spiritual Practices for Unhurrying
-EPC extended personal communication - redemptive solitude, to listen to His voice or just be in His presence
11. Eternal Life:
- REST!! to set mind on things above; heart, habits by listening well

[Ravin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute piece of art! I truly appreciated going slowly through this book, and learning how to value Jesus’ way of unhurry…which is completely opposite to the way I typically spend my days! I never thought of Jesus in this way, of NEVER being in a rush, He was (and is!) always on time! Wow wow wow…I learned so much from this book, I will definitely be listening to it again and again!

One powerful thought I pondered and am still pondering from this reading: How many times am I in such a rush that I pass by someone in need of help because ‘I don’t have time to stop’? I always have a schedule to keep…Lord, please forgive me for how I have used my time…teach me how to utilize the time you have given (as you have given each of us the same amount of time) to be in service for others and to stop thinking so much of MY plans and MY goals that I can’t see the divine appointments that you have placed in my path!

[Daniel Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Fadling, and I genuinely admire his heart in writing this book, despite really not connecting with it. It wasn't the subject matter that I had issue with, as I vehemently agree with the idea of 'unhurry', but the basis of his argument. Though it may sound impossible, I frankly believe this book was steeped in too much scripture (which at times felt forced in supporting an argument) and Christian rhetoric, to the point of sterility. That being said, his personal stories, as well as many of the quotes he mined from the likes of Merton and Chittister were absolute gems.

So I'd call this a good intro book for evangelicals just now entering the realm of contemplation and unhurry. For those that need to be convinced. For those further along, you may find more life in the words of the people he quotes.

[Siv · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is the tendency to find our identity in our overflowing to-do list so prevalent? Why is "Busy!" one of the most common responses we give/receive to the question, "How are you?" With Fadling, I would prefer to "move at the pace of grace" rather than keep up a frenetic, self-driven pace.

I track with most of what he has to say, but as an introvert, slowing down to contemplate comes far more naturally for me than for my extroverted friends. Not that it's easy for any of us, but it's easier for some than others. So I wonder how others will process and apply the many questions and suggestions Fadling has to offer.

[Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good book! The chapter on maturity was 5 stars, but overall a solid “good”. I would recommend it for those who haven’t read anything on Jesus’ rhythms of work/rest, but it hits on similar ideas as other books with this topic (ie. the JMC “Ruthless” fad of 2020). However, this book did have some solid practical ideas for those who hold leadership positions in ministries/churches, which I thought were wonderful.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very timely message for me, a "speed" addict. I have read the words now but have not digested its profound truths to learn to slow down, listen, rest well between "assignments", wait for divine guidance as Jesus modeled. This will be a book I come back to as I make progress in the years to come.

[Cameron Roxburgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book... a must read for all people in ministry, and really for all. In a day and age where we spend so much time and energy trying to hurry our way through life - hoping it goes on forever, Alan helps us to stop and gain a better perspective on joining God in what He is doing at a pace that He envisioned that we might live life to the fullest.

[Tom Talamantez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow! This is my third read and very timely to where God has me now!

[Gary B · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus’ Rhythms of Work and Rest, by Alan Fadling

Summary: In some ways this is the most countercultural book I've ever read. Many books address the current cultural controversies, but few take on something that is almost uniformly ingrained in everything we do. What is it that is so countercultural? This book is asking you to slow down. We live in a world where we are constantly busy, constantly asked to do more, make more, create more, give more. It is almost across the board: men and women, young and old, politically left and politically right, educated and uneducated. There is a pervasive sense of busy and hurry. Yet, Jesus Christ in his earthly ministry was never hurried. He was even slow or late by some standards (see the story of Lazarus for example). But, and here is the key, he was without sin, and he successfully and fully did all the work his Father put before him. Starting from this premise, Fadling attempts to convince us that lasting productivity is not the fruit of busyness but is instead the fruit of being unhurried (like Christ). If I had to sum it up in one sentence, I would say the author is calling us to BE Christians rather than to simply DO as many Christian things as possible.

Fadling touches on many different areas. He discusses how temptation is often the product of hurry. We want what we want now, rather than receiving it in God's timing (see for example Christ's temptation in the wilderness). He talks about the need for prayer and rest. He talks about how one of the challenges of suffering (illness especially) is that it can make us be unhurried and we do not like that. Fadling also talks about how true maturity takes time. The Bible often uses agricultural analogies and parables for maturity. We grow in faith; we grow in producing fruit. These are things that take seasons and years; they take consistent watering and pruning. Hurry is antithetical to true Christian maturity.

Recommendation: Given the pervasiveness of hurry, there are many people who could benefit from reading this book. If you measure your day’s success by the number of things you check off your To Do List, this book may be for you. If you measure the success of your ministry by the number of programs and the size of the crowds, this book may be for you. If you are tired or anxious about the “rat race,” this book may be for you.

My Personal Highlights: This was a challenging book for me. I fall into several of the categories I mentioned above in the recommendations. In fact, I had to read the book twice; during my first listen I was so distracted and busy that I didn’t feel I could review it accurately. On my second read, there were many notable parts. The discussion of acedia was helpful and something that I will look into more. I especially appreciated his commentary on the Great Commission and how the Great Commission is twofold: first the disciples are called to Christ on the mountain, and then they are called to disciple as they go. This idea of the Commission being rooted in coming to (and resting in) Christ first and then preaching and teaching as you go I've found very helpful. It turns discipleship from something that it must be added to the To Do List to something that gets done as you live life in faith to Christ.

[Reid Mccormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is less of a book review and more of a rambling of thoughts…

“My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered the interruptions were my work.” -Henri Nouwen

I used to be quite a hot head. In high school, I would explode in anger without notice. When I played baseball, no equipment was safe when I struck out. I would slam my bat, throw my helmet, and blame everything around me. My anger was easily my biggest flaw.

Luckily, I never did anything outrageous during my anger spells, which is probably why I held onto to anger and frustrations for so long. In fact, I felt like my frustrations were completely justified. I was angry because I felt wronged by life. I was a good kid who worked and when bad things happened to me I was upset; I didn’t deserve this.

My parents and mentors constantly challenged me on my anger. I knew my anger was unbecoming and a growing problem. I didn’t want to be angry but, again, I didn’t think it was my fault. But one day I remember reading my Bible and I came across these simple words in Matthew 6,

“Do not worry”

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

I’ve read these words probably a few dozen times in my life. I felt like I knew this passage like the back of my hand. But this time, things finally clicked. I was angry because I was not in control. If I give up control, I could let go of my anger.

People close to me saw the sudden change. I wasn’t perfect. I still get angry, but something changed then. I realized that the more I let go, the better I am. The less I control - or the more I realize how little I actually control - the happier I was. From that moment, I started to slow down. I worry less. I stress less. I am angry less.

I am a total believer in the unhurried life. The unhurried life is not just about slowing down, it is about removing the unnecessary. It can be unnecessary possessions, unhealthy worry and thoughts, damaging relationships, or pointless technology.

As a society, we greatly value productivity. As Christians, we want to make sure we are productive for Christ. This can be a very dangerous journey, when we decide that the more we do the better as if everything relies on us.

There is no formula to the unhurried life. Everyone has different temptations, vices, and faults. In An Unhurried Life, the author gives us many examples from his life and ministry. He gives practical solutions, but this book should only be an example and a launching pad. Waking up before dawn to do quiet time can be great, but that would not help me. Finding extended periods of solitude can work, but I don’t believe it’s essential.
I think the author expressed it best when we talked about stepping outside of ourselves and watching from the outside. A little distance from ourselves can show us a lot. From a distance, you can see what controls you.

What hinders you from slowing down?