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The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World
by
"Who am I becoming?"
That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren't pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words:
"Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life."
It wasn't the response he expected, but it was--and cont ...more
That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren't pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words:
"Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life."
It wasn't the response he expected, but it was--and cont ...more
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Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
October 29th 2019
by Waterbrook Press
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Start your review of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World

I’ve never felt such joy while being so deeply convicted. This book really might change my life and I’m excited to lean into the way of life it presents, the unhurried lifestyle of Jesus Christ. Comer spoke directly to my anxious, restless and often frustrated soul with humor, and honesty, and deep wisdom. This book confronted the realities of my sin and my hurry which prevent me from love, joy, and peace. Yet it also gently and convincingly presented a solution, a solution embedded in Jesus’ ow
...more

Like moths to a flame, we fly to a fire that will consume us. We each carry a profound sense of lack and loss, and in not feeling like we are enough or that we have enough we rush and reach to fill the void. But all the shiny screens and hustling habits leave us with little room to inhabit the lives we have as good and the God who drew near to us in Jesus as actually here. This book will grieve you in a good way and carry you to the feet of Jesus, where He’ll ask you to take up your mat and walk
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My son gifted me this as an audiobook because of some great conversations we had. He just sold his fancy new car and bought a “dumb” phone. I did not love the audio voice and I didn’t even agree with all the ways the author viewed the world, but and it’s a big one, I think this is a conversation we need to be having and I appreciate Comers willingness to say hard things. Still I will not be able to take a month off every summer but a day every week....absolutely vital. I highly recommend this co
...more

I have loved John Mark Comer's books and teachings for a few years now. He has beautifully mastered the art of using his own unique voice when writing, making deep or hard topics seem easy to read. This book is no exception and, honestly, may be one of his best works. I felt convicted yet encouraged, exposed yet freed.
We live in a world that highly values productivity and hurry, celebrating the people who can "do it all". The church, sadly, often shares this same value. Yet this way of living h ...more
We live in a world that highly values productivity and hurry, celebrating the people who can "do it all". The church, sadly, often shares this same value. Yet this way of living h ...more

So I’m all for enjoying the meat and spitting out the bones, but this book had some pretty bad bones:
“Looking at porn is a good narcotic, healthy even on an occasional and short-term basis...” page 50
😳😳
(Hopefully what he means is that our culture views pornography as a narcotic, and medically speaking, narcotics are good, and even healthy at times.)
He promotes social drinking as a good way to enjoy the Sabbath. 🙄
He often quotes Catholics and mystics as amazing heroes. 🤦🏻♀️
He equates legalism wi ...more
“Looking at porn is a good narcotic, healthy even on an occasional and short-term basis...” page 50
😳😳
(Hopefully what he means is that our culture views pornography as a narcotic, and medically speaking, narcotics are good, and even healthy at times.)
He promotes social drinking as a good way to enjoy the Sabbath. 🙄
He often quotes Catholics and mystics as amazing heroes. 🤦🏻♀️
He equates legalism wi ...more

If you can get over the occasional youth pastor vibes (unnatural references to biggie smalls followed with lines like “yes, I just quoted biggie smalls”) and the fact he writes as he would speak (sentence fragments/periods meant to signify where you’d pause if you were reading aloud) THE CONTENT IS SO GOOD AND, for me, LIFE-CHANGING.

This book basically uses the bible and the life of Jesus to give examples of how to be mindful and why it's extremely important to be mindful in the chaos that we are currently living in.
The general idea of the book is nice, however, I found some of the examples of how to be mindful kind of unrealistic and hard to actually do.
Jan, 28, 2020. ...more
The general idea of the book is nice, however, I found some of the examples of how to be mindful kind of unrealistic and hard to actually do.
Jan, 28, 2020. ...more

My boss actually bought me this book and told me to read it. I'm so glad that I did. As someone who chronically overestimates his capacity and whose mind is always active, I really needed to read this plea to eliminate hurry. Comer's book is a quick and easy read, but it's packed full of great stories, quotes, Scripture references, and jokes. I appreciated his call and vision to lead a life that is 1) slower 2) characterized by internal/external silence 3) Sabbath 4) simplicity. While he beautif
...more

2.5 stars. I think that the author’s call to slow down and the importance of the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude, sabbath, simplicity, and slowing are essential to the abundant life in Christ. However, I really dislike his writing style and often felt annoyed by the little “relatable” things he added in. Also, I felt this book to be unpractical and really not until the last section did he give any helpful steps to begin the practices for which he advocates. This book could easily b
...more

This book is CONVICTING, but in the best most practical and applicable way. There are so many people longing for the secret of how to de-stress, de-clutter, de-complicate their lives and Joh Mark Comer points us to the perfect example of how to do so: Jesus. By living the way our savior lived we can focus our eyes on the Father and pull our heads out of the hustle and hurry of the secular world. I unknowingly was craving the guidance of this book, and while the world is totally crazy and upside
...more

This is a solid book to start a year with (or a week or a month). Comer walks us through his own process of putting into practice four spiritual practices that have helped him better follow the rhythms of the life of Jesus.
It’s fun, easy to read, and full of practical tips and challenging ideas.
The worst thing about this book is knowing he’s right about almost everything (except for being overly worried about polyester in landfills) and needing to really put the practices of Jesus into place in ...more
It’s fun, easy to read, and full of practical tips and challenging ideas.
The worst thing about this book is knowing he’s right about almost everything (except for being overly worried about polyester in landfills) and needing to really put the practices of Jesus into place in ...more

WARNING: Do not read this book if you are not interested in changing your daily habits and feeling deeply convicted.
This book was absolutely amazing. John Mark Comer does an incredible job of describing the problem (hurry) and then providing practical ways to ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your own life. He does this through providing Biblically-based suggestions without being overly legalistic, and also simply pointing out the benefits of altering the way you live. The practices he walks throu ...more
This book was absolutely amazing. John Mark Comer does an incredible job of describing the problem (hurry) and then providing practical ways to ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your own life. He does this through providing Biblically-based suggestions without being overly legalistic, and also simply pointing out the benefits of altering the way you live. The practices he walks throu ...more

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is a guide to discovering how to live a life like Jesus lived. The author' voice is engaging, his anecdotes filled with wisdom. I appreciated the interesting history of our present concept of time and how modern society has mangled the Sabbath. Society boasts of busyness. This book exposes the wisdom, grace, and power of patience, rest, and reflection. I will definitely read this again and again. Those looking to live a powerful life will enjoy this book. An add
...more

This is a book worth reading. If you can overlook the occasional oversimplification of some instances and concepts (though maybe that oversimplification is intentional), this is a challenging, supported (I especially appreciated the ample use of citations), and humorous read.
While this is a challenging and confrontational read, this quote captures the tone of the book quite well:
“This chapter was fun to write, but please don’t misread the tone. I’m smiling right now, not glaring.”
While this is a challenging and confrontational read, this quote captures the tone of the book quite well:
“This chapter was fun to write, but please don’t misread the tone. I’m smiling right now, not glaring.”

I had heard good things about this book for a while, and it certainly did not disappoint. John Mark Comer put words to stress my soul has been feeling, and I didn’t realize it. I would recommend this book to any follower of Jesus as a way to understand how the digital age is impacting our walks with God and gain wisdom as to how to practically slow down our lives to allow more attention and communion with the Father.

This is was an engaging and accessible read that challenged some significant areas of my discipleship to Jesus.
I'd recommend it to anyone who is thinking about if they should try and declutter their internal life. It's a big-picture book that points us to the need to connect with God.
My one wish is that Comer would have spent a little more time describing who this God is that we are connecting to.
Great read. ...more
I'd recommend it to anyone who is thinking about if they should try and declutter their internal life. It's a big-picture book that points us to the need to connect with God.
My one wish is that Comer would have spent a little more time describing who this God is that we are connecting to.
Great read. ...more

This book is essential...
It is incredibly difficult to describe how amazing this book was in words. Comer’s thoughts on rest, the sabbath and simplicity are directly countercultural, which helps us as Christians and Americans to see the hurry within our own eyes.
This book has easily become one of my favorites. I know that I will eagerly wait for more Comer content! 10/10: fully recommend!
It is incredibly difficult to describe how amazing this book was in words. Comer’s thoughts on rest, the sabbath and simplicity are directly countercultural, which helps us as Christians and Americans to see the hurry within our own eyes.
This book has easily become one of my favorites. I know that I will eagerly wait for more Comer content! 10/10: fully recommend!

The list of books that have impacted me to the center of my soul has grown after reading this incredibly generous, convicting, and superbly-insightful book. Two things are obvious after reading this book: (1) I would love to spend more time with John Mark (seeing as I live in Portland), and (2) John Mark spoke prophetically to my soul with this writing.
It would take me pages and pages to write out all the quotes, insights, and encouragements that impacted me from this book. So, all I'll say is t ...more
It would take me pages and pages to write out all the quotes, insights, and encouragements that impacted me from this book. So, all I'll say is t ...more

I loved this book. It was eye opening, extremely challenging, but also strangely refreshing. It gave me hope that it is possible to live a simpler, slower, and truly restful life. For some reason I thought everyone just had to work themself to the bone till the day they die. Turns out, that’s not how God intended it to be. I highly recommend it to anyone who lives a fast paced life. I had no idea how addicted I was to the drug of “hurry” till I read this book. It will be a challenge to change so
...more

I will say that this is my first real book review so i don’t exactly know how to write one BUT I think I will start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! read it pretty dang fast, which may be counter-intuitive ? idk. but it was just hard to not read you know?
Comer’s writing style in this book makes it read kind of like a living room conversation between you and him which is kind of fun. I’ve also listened to a few of his sermons/podcasts so I read it all in his voice which was trippy ...more
Comer’s writing style in this book makes it read kind of like a living room conversation between you and him which is kind of fun. I’ve also listened to a few of his sermons/podcasts so I read it all in his voice which was trippy ...more

Written by a pastor, from a Christian standpoint, this book piqued my interest. Sadly, I abandoned it at 69%. The entire thing felt, to me, like nails on a chalkboard.
I'll bullet-point the first 69%, to save others the irritation:
•Jesus never hurried
•Keep the sabbath
•A day of rest each week lengthens the lifespan
•A day of rest each week changes all your other days
•No errands, bills, etc... on the sabbath
•Capitalism is a problem
•Modern advertising is a problem
•Blacks are underprivileged
•We ...more
I'll bullet-point the first 69%, to save others the irritation:
•Jesus never hurried
•Keep the sabbath
•A day of rest each week lengthens the lifespan
•A day of rest each week changes all your other days
•No errands, bills, etc... on the sabbath
•Capitalism is a problem
•Modern advertising is a problem
•Blacks are underprivileged
•We ...more

Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life. This might be one of the most important topics that this culture needs to hear. Comer brilliantly and beautifully walks through the history of hurry to show us how our culture came to its current state. He then offers a solution in that of the life of Christ. Masterfully weaving together this cultural moment with the life of Jesus, JMC presents four practices that apprentices to Jesus ought to be living: silence and solitude, sabbath, simplicity, a
...more

Timely read for me as I enter my 30s, what could be my most hurried decade. I’m thankful God is changing the trajectory from the get go. I feel so rushed most days, and in that rush is when I am most likely to sin. I see Jesus’ offering me his easy yoke and I welcome it. In this season, I’ve slowed to listen to God’s voice and I don’t want to return. I found this book helpful in both the why and how of slowing and one I will recommend and return to in years ahead. Many of these practices God has
...more

I find these words from Every Moment Holy to be a fitting conclusion to my reading of this book:
“May I return now
from the world of this book
to the daily details of my own life
with truer vision and fiercer hope,
trailing with me
remnants of that coming glory
I have glimpsed again
in story.”
Of all the books I have read on the spiritual disciplines and habits, this is the one that has most produced in me what the habits are supposed to produce: a desire for Christ and a peacefulness in the moment. I hi ...more
“May I return now
from the world of this book
to the daily details of my own life
with truer vision and fiercer hope,
trailing with me
remnants of that coming glory
I have glimpsed again
in story.”
Of all the books I have read on the spiritual disciplines and habits, this is the one that has most produced in me what the habits are supposed to produce: a desire for Christ and a peacefulness in the moment. I hi ...more

JMC has been deeply influential for me in the past few years in the way I view work and rest, Sabbath and spiritual disciplines. This book pulls together a lot of his teaching emphases into one place. The information here wasn’t new for me, but as a human in this hurry culture, I know I need regular reminders to keep coming back to simplicity and slowing. If you’ve felt burnt out, tired, too busy, frazzled in any capacity- pick this one up.

2020: it wasn’t that long ago that I read this book for the first time— but I found myself needing a refresher and a quick re-read helped bring me back to the place of longing for and practicing the way of Jesus. Always thankful for this message and JMC.
2019: The book is amazing. It is completely changing my approach to life. Please read this book!
2019: The book is amazing. It is completely changing my approach to life. Please read this book!

Jan 22, 2020
Andrew Wolgemuth
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
faith,
nonfiction
Excellent - the sort of book that sits in your mind in between reading and begs for application.
Along with great content and teaching (namely: Comer's analysis of the current pace of life and what it's doing to us spiritually and the spiritual disciplines that he proscribes as antidotes to the effects of that pace), the book is a model for how to call you ...more
Along with great content and teaching (namely: Comer's analysis of the current pace of life and what it's doing to us spiritually and the spiritual disciplines that he proscribes as antidotes to the effects of that pace), the book is a model for how to call you ...more
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I live in the urban core of Portland, OR, with my wife Tammy and our three kids – Jude, Moses and Sunday. Portland is this great city in the Pacific Northwest buzzing with culture - food, drink, coffee, indie bands, and lots of depressed people. I love it.
I'm the pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church, right in the center of the city by Powell's Books - best bookstore ever! Our church ...more
I'm the pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church, right in the center of the city by Powell's Books - best bookstore ever! Our church ...more
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“Because what you give your attention to is the person you become. Put another way: the mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to. That bodes well for those apprentices of Jesus who give the bulk of their attention to him and to all that is good, beautiful, and true in his world. But not for those who give their attention to the 24-7 news cycle of outrage and anxiety and emotion-charged drama or the nonstop feed of celebrity gossip, titillation, and cultural drivel. (As if we “give” it in the first place; much of it is stolen by a clever algorithm out to monetize our precious attention.) But again: we become what we give our attention to, for better or worse.”
—
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“Ultimately, nothing in this life, apart from God, can satisfy our desires. Tragically, we continue to chase after our desires ad infinitum. The result? A chronic state of restlessness or, worse, angst, anger, anxiety, disillusionment, depression—all of which lead to a life of hurry, a life of busyness, overload, shopping, materialism, careerism, a life of more…which in turn makes us even more restless. And the cycle spirals out of control.”
—
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