An Unhurried Life

1. Embrace an Unhurried Heart in a Hurried World

Hurry is not just a disordered schedule. Hurry is a disordered heart.

Recognize the addiction. Many of us are "recovering speed addicts," not to drugs, but to the frenetic inner pace of life. Our culture constantly incentivizes speed, efficiency, and quickness, making it difficult to slow down. This pervasive hurry isn't merely about how fast we move, but reflects an anxious, driven, and frenetic state of the heart.

Jesus' unhurried example. Dallas Willard described Jesus as "relaxed," a word that might initially feel uncomfortable, sounding lazy or disengaged. However, a deeper look at the Gospels reveals Jesus' consistently unhurried pace, often puzzling those around him. He waited thirty years to begin his ministry, spent forty days in the wilderness, and seemed unconcerned with others' timelines for healing or public appearances, demonstrating a pace of grace.

Unmasking hurry's roots. Our hurriedness stems from several factors: the belief that faster equals more accomplished, cultural biases valuing speed, and technology that, ironically, fills our days with more activity rather than leisure. This constant rush leads to "hurry sickness," a pathological state where every situation feels like an emergency, even when it isn't, preventing us from enjoying the journey or discerning God's deeper work.

2. Cultivate Apprenticeship, Not Just Crowds

The permanent impression, if it comes, has to come in some other way.

Shift your focus. Early in ministry, the author prioritized gathering crowds, measuring success by numbers rather than depth. This "hurried and frantic" approach, while seemingly effective in the short term, often serves self-interest more than genuine spiritual formation. Jesus, however, refused to depend on crowds, knowing them to be undependable and fickle, instead focusing on developing a small core of devoted apprentices.

The problem with crowds. Crowds are often self-interested, seeking what they want from Jesus (e.g., miracles, food) rather than what he wants for them (transformation, self-denial). They are easily swayed, praising one day and condemning the next. Ministries that cater to crowds risk avoiding the difficult, life-giving message of true discipleship, opting for easily quantifiable, short-term "success" over the long, messy work of character formation.

Embrace slow growth. Jesus' "dual commission" in Matthew 28 invites us not just to "go," but "as you go, make disciples" by immersing them in the Trinitarian community and teaching them to obey everything he commanded. This apprenticeship is a slow process, like growing "oaks of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:3), which take decades to root deeply and display splendor. It requires patient, intentional effort, focusing on deep transformation rather than quick, superficial results.

3. True Productivity Flows from Graced Unhurry

Apart from me you can do nothing.

Discern holy vs. unholy unhurry. While emergencies demand rapid response, a constant sense of urgency is unsustainable and unhealthy. Conversely, not all unhurry is holy; idleness, procrastination, or "acedia"—a spiritual boredom and apathy—are unholy forms of unhurry that lead to sterility and distraction. True unhurry, like Jesus' relaxed yet engaged demeanor, is attentive, purposeful, and rooted in God's presence.

Overwork's ironic fruitlessness. Our obsession with work, driven by the belief that "I won't be as productive" if I slow down, often leads to a reduction in true fruitfulness. Jesus, as an apprentice to the Father, did "nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing." Our overwork can be a failure of discernment, accelerating even when lost, and producing busywork rather than genuinely impactful, God-initiated labor.

Cultivate graced fruitfulness. Genuine productivity is not about doing as much as possible for God, but doing the good work God actually has for us, in concert with Him. This "graced fruitfulness" is evident in the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness—which are products of an unhurried orientation to God and people. It's about working from a place of abiding in Christ, allowing His grace to empower quality, hard work, rather than frantic, self-driven effort.

4. Resist Hurry's Temptation with God's Timing

Do not let Satan tempt you to be in a hurry about anything.

Hurry as temptation. Temptation often manifests as an impulsive, knee-jerk reaction, fueled by the lie that opportunities must be seized "now or never." This is evident in stories like King Saul's impatient offering, which cost him his kingdom. Jesus, in his wilderness temptations, masterfully resisted the devil's attempts to hurry him into self-provision, seizing power, or testing God's care, demonstrating the power of an unhurried response.

The devil's schemes. The tempter seeks to plant doubt and uncertainty, turning God's promises into questions.

• Grab what you need: "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." (Lk 4:3) This tempts us to act apart from God's timing for provision, forgetting that "man shall not live on bread alone."
• Take charge: "I will give you all their authority and splendor; if you worship me, it will all be yours." (Lk 4:5-8) This tempts us to seize power and glory now, bypassing God's way of suffering and humble reception.
• Prove God cares: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here." (Lk 4:9) This tempts us to test God's protection and force his hand, rather than trusting his unwavering care.

Embrace the discipline of waiting. Scripture repeatedly calls us to "wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD." Waiting is not passive idleness but an active posture of hope and trust in God's perfect timing and immense care. It sharpens our vision, allowing us to discern God's leading amidst the "soul hurry" of fretting and anxiety. By taking captive our thoughts and resisting the urge to rush, we learn to rely on God's provision, authority, and protection.

5. Love Requires Unhurried Presence and Care

Love has its speed. It is an inner speed. It is a spiritual speed.

Love's unhurried nature. The first trait of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is patience, an "unhurried virtue." Love doesn't rush, lose its temper, or quit at the first sign of trouble; it is "long-suffering." Our hurried culture, however, often prioritizes efficiency over kindness, leading to "gronking" impatience and a refusal to "wait, undergo, suffer" with others in profound relationships.

The Good Samaritan's lesson. Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan powerfully illustrates unhurried love. The priest and Levite, perhaps hurrying to religious duties, "passed by on the other side," seeing the wounded man as a distraction. The Samaritan, an unexpected hero, "took pity on him," stopped, bandaged his wounds, transported him, stayed overnight, and paid for his continued care.

• Love sees: The Samaritan truly saw the man, not just noticed him.
• Love is affected: He allowed the man's plight to touch his heart.
• Love stops and acts: He prioritized the person over his agenda.
• Love bears cost: He invested time, resources, and personal inconvenience.

Beyond efficiency to relationship. Our obsession with efficiency can make love feel like a luxury or an obstacle. "Time pressure, time urgency, and hurry sickness" erode relationships, creating fragmentation and isolation. True care requires "lingering time," where interactions are not just functional but playful and spontaneous. Henri Nouwen noted, "My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered the interruptions were my work." Unhurriedness allows us to recognize these "God-given opportunities to love" that we often race past.

6. Prioritize Unhurried Prayer as Jesus Did

The secret of Jesus’ ministry is hidden in that lonely place where he went to pray, early in the morning, long before dawn.

Jesus' consistent rhythm. Jesus, despite a life full of ministry demands, "often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." He rose "very early in the morning, while it was still dark" to commune with his Father, and sometimes spent entire nights in prayer before making critical decisions, like choosing his twelve apostles. This habit wasn't easy, but it was essential for his deep roots in the Father's love and the fruitfulness of his ministry.

Following Jesus' prayer pattern:

• When? Early morning, late night, all night—times of minimal interruption.
• How frequently? "Often," indicating a regular, consistent habit.
• Where? Remote, solitary places, away from crowds and demands.
• With whom? Primarily alone, sometimes with a select few disciples.
• How long? Significant, extended periods, even all night.

Prayer as primary work. The disciples, witnessing Jesus' communion, asked, "Lord, teach us to pray." Later, in Acts 6, the apostles prioritized "prayer and the ministry of the word" over "waiting on tables," delegating practical needs to others. This highlights prayer as a strategic, legitimate, and primary activity for leaders, not just a prelude to "important" work. Unhurried prayer cultivates a listening heart, enabling leaders to discern God's voice and speak on His behalf.

7. Enter God's Rest: Sabbath as a Rhythm of Trust

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

Rest as primary. God designed us for regular rest, weaving a one-in-seven rhythm into creation itself. The Hebrew mindset begins the day with evening, signifying that God initiates His work while we rest, and we wake to participate in His grace. Sabbath is not an afterthought or a reward for exhaustion, but a primary gift, a "day for the sake of life," meant to precede and empower our good work.

The challenge of entering rest. Hebrews 4:11 invites us to "make every effort to enter that rest," a seeming contradiction. This effort involves releasing habits of drivenness, anxiety, and workaholism, which are deeply ingrained in a culture that measures identity by what we do, produce, or possess. The Israelites failed to enter God's rest because they "tested God instead of trust[ing] him," quarreling instead of resting.

Sabbath as surrender and freedom. Sabbath is God's antidote to our hurried pace, a weekly space to recover from drivenness. It requires surrender, acknowledging that our work is never truly "finished" and that God, not our to-do list, is sovereign. It's a shift from "have tos" to "want tos," remembering our God-given purpose. This holy leisure, distinct from numbing idleness, provides space for play, communion, and deep refreshment, allowing us to live as free children of God rather than slaves to endless activity.

8. Suffering Can Be God's Unexpected Unhurrying

But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Pain's forced slowing. Suffering, whether physical pain, personal burnout, or loss, often forces an unexpected unhurrying of life. The author's experience with his wife's "summer of pain" or his own "crisis-a-year" season revealed how hardship slows us down, exposing immature images of God and driving us to question His presence and care. In these moments, what we most desire is simply to know that God is with us.

Waiting, dryness, and pruning. Suffering often manifests as:

• Waiting: A dull, chronic ache, challenging our patience and tempting us to "do something" rather than trusting God's creative work, like a model sitting still for a painter.
• Dryness: Unexplained spiritual barrenness, even when seeking God, which deepens our longings for Him and exposes our disordered thirsts, forcing us to rely on God alone.
• Pruning: God's intentional removal of "fruitful" branches (John 15:2) or outward/inward losses, which feels like diminishment but is meant to produce even greater, higher-quality fruit and deeper surrender.

God's refining purpose. These seasons of hardship are not random or punitive, but God's "fierce mercy" and loving discipline. Like Israel's forty years in the wilderness, they are a classroom to humble and test us, teaching us to rely not on ourselves but on "God, who raises the dead." In weakness, God's power is made perfect. Such unhurried suffering refines our faith, deepens our roots, and prepares us for greater fruitfulness and a more profound, spacious knowledge of Christ.

9. Spiritual Maturity is a Slow, Deepening Journey

Maturity cannot be hurried, programmed, or tinkered with. There are no steroids available for growing up in Christ more quickly.

Growth takes time. Spiritual maturity is not a sprint or a series of quick fixes, but a "slow and sure, a mountain step-plod and ascent." Impatience for quick growth often leads to "dead ends of immaturity." True maturity involves changes not just in knowledge, but profoundly in attitude, personal behavior, and communal behavior, requiring unhurried perseverance and a "noble and good heart" that retains God's word amidst life's worries and pleasures.

Leaders foster maturity. Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers "to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature." Wise leaders understand that this is a long-term cultivation, like a farmer tending a tree over many years, not a sudden burst of activity. They "wrestle in prayer" for others' maturity, focusing on deep character transformation rather than just short-term programmatic success.

Beyond superficiality. Many churches focus on "intellect deep" rather than "soul deep" or "heart deep" maturity. This can lead to "spiritual adolescence," where believers are "religiously busy for the Kingdom of God" but lack deep roots. True maturity, as Jesus taught, involves becoming "perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"—a journey of transforming communion, not performance. It's marked by:

• A single, sharp focus on Jesus (Philippians 3:14-15)
• Willingness to release attachments (Matthew 19:21)
• Grace-filled speech (James 3:2)
• Perfect love driving out fear (1 John 4:18)

This unhurried vision of growth frees us to trust God's long-term work, knowing that "Christian maturity is not a matter of doing more for God; it is God doing more in and through us."

10. Practice Intentional Unhurrying to Connect with God

A person who is always available is not worth enough when he is available.

Extended Personal Communion (EPC). This practice, also known as solitude and silence, involves setting aside regular, extended time (e.g., a few hours monthly) to simply be alone and quiet in God's presence. It's not about spiritual productivity but about "being," offering uncluttered space to listen, sense His presence, and allow inner anxiety and drivenness to calm.

• Start with no agenda: Acknowledge your thoughts, but remain open to God's leading.
• Listen first: Begin with quiet attentiveness, using all your senses.
• Give thanks: Gratitude is a hallmark of an unhurried heart.
• Manage distractions: Let them float by or incorporate them into prayer.

Unhurried leadership and slowing. Leaders can apply a "One-Third Rule" to meetings, dedicating the first third to spiritual practices like lectio divina, contemplative intercession, and communal sharing before diving into strategic work. This unhurried approach fosters unity, creativity, and greater fruitfulness. Personal "slowing" practices, like driving in the slowest lane, walking more deliberately, or pausing before sending emails, help decelerate our inner pace and enrich our presence.

Prioritize sleep and seek guidance. Our sleep-deprived culture often views sleep as a waste of time, but it's a vital gift from God. Embracing sufficient sleep, and even "napcio divina" (holy naps), is crucial for spiritual health. When seeking guidance, instead of demanding a "road map" from God, we should ask for Him to be our "guide," trusting His unhurried companionship to lead us step-by-step, keeping us close to Him on the journey.

11. Live an Eternal Life, Unconstrained by Time

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The ultimate unhurried reality. In the midst of life's busiest seasons, it's easy to lose sight of eternal life, the most unhurried reality of all. This isn't just about unending duration after death, but an "unlimited time" perspective that counters the lie of "I don't have time." In Christ, we have all the time needed for God's invitations, allowing us to embrace risks, learn from mistakes, and persevere with courage.

Eternal life is knowing God. Jesus defined eternal life as an "ongoing relationship of mutual love" with the Father and Himself, a relationship we enjoy now and forever. It's an unhurried, ever-deepening communion, discovering the glorious, wise, powerful, and gracious nature of Jesus. This "dual awareness" means living simultaneously on the level of time and the level of the Timeless, recognizing that our present physical life is a glimpse of that forever life.

Set your heart on things above. Paul invites us to "set our hearts on things above, where Christ is," not as a detachment from earthly realities, but as a perspective that sees all things through the lens of Christ's presence and eternal reality. Hurry acts as a "veil" that obscures God's glory, hindering our transformation. By slowing down, we can "contemplate the Lord's glory," dropping to a deeper level of awareness, dis-identifying with emotional noise, and allowing God's Spirit to renew us inwardly day by day, fixing our eyes on the unseen and eternal.

Last updated: January 4, 2026