Hurry
“You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”
- Dallas Willard
I know the face well. When I talk to individuals or groups of leaders, I have seen that face, those eyes, hundreds of times. It is a look that says, “I know what you are saying is theoretically true, but it isn’t true for me,” or even…
“You don’t know my life or circumstance.”
How do I know that many of them are thinking that? Because I have heard it said so many times. We talk a lot about the “unforced rhythms of grace” that Jesus talked about. We reference that he said that we should “come away with him” and that he would teach us how to live “easily and lightly”. But that feels like it was meant for the person on my left or right; certainly not me.
For many of us, those words can feel like a rescue, an antidote to these busy and troubled times. For some of us, they can feel like an assault. Because if we have made an agreement that the only life available is busy, hurried, and completely without any margin, there is no hope of any other.
We spend a lot of time with leaders working toward concepts like “ideal week”, delegation, and even “Essentialism”. What are the things that only you can do? While Western culture Christianity applauds doing bigger and more, it seemed to be the antithesis of the life of Jesus. He continually got away and only dealt with crowds when he was forced.
I overhead a national men’s ministry leader say recently:
“God is nowhere in your desire to be amazing.”
We have actually had to get to the place with leaders where we are helping them break agreements. We all carry them and they are very deep-seated and so entrenched that we now regard them as truth. They are deep, spiritual, and defining for all of us, but absolutely untrue.
That allows us to see another set of eyes. These ones look back with a suspicious “How did you know that?” Most of these agreements are so deeply embedded in our belief systems that identifying them as agreed-to lies is a revelation. When they are broken, it is almost like a shroud is lifted off and the eyes are immediately a shade clearer.
The world is busy and getting busier. There isn’t a lot we can do about that. Hurry, on the other hand, is a choice. You have gotten to “hurried" through a series of agreements and choices that have to be systematically eliminated.
One of the secrets of coaching is that we aren’t here to identify your problems or even prescribe solutions. You already know what those are. The beauty and power of coaching is that all of us need someone operating with a high degree of care to help us discover our own problems and determine our own solutions. And then help provide accountability to make sure we follow through. Someone to help us identify what is so bunkered into our lives through layers of agreements and hurriedness.
Block 15-30 minutes, clear your heart and mind, and then honestly try to answer these questions.
Consider
What is the “hurry” in your life that you need to eliminate?
What needs to change in order for you to experience the “freely and lightly” and “unforced rhythms of grace” that Jesus referenced?
What agreements have you made about the condition of your life or circumstance that you need to break? (They are literally pinning you down to the state you are in.)
What is it costing those you love and lead that you are living in such a hurried state?
Who will hold you accountable to the change?