The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World

by John Mark Comer

So there is a day that is blessed and holy. A rhythm in creation. Six and one. And when we tap into this rhythm, we experience health and life. But when we fight this rhythm—ignore it, suppress it, push past it, bully it, make excuses, look for a way to get out of it—we reap the consequences. Consider the mind: we grow mentally lethargic, numb, uncreative, distracted, restless. Emotional unhealth becomes our new normal. Irritability, anger, cynicism, and its twin, sarcasm, overwhelm our defenses and take control of our dispositions. Or consider the body: we get tired and worn out; our immune systems start to falter, miss a step. Another cold. It’s like our nervous systems are trying to get our attention. Yet we push on. Until, inevitably, we crash. Something in our minds or bodies gives out, and we end up flat on our backs. I have my story; I told most of it at the beginning of this book, but I left out the part about my being a type A workaholic, running off ambition (or what do we call it now, drive?), with no clue how to rest. I had a weekly day off, sure, but I spent it catching up on all the work I never got paid for (bills, the yard, etc.), as well as things like shopping and entertainment.