An old English proverb says, “When we’re in a hurry, the Devil is happy.”

Hurry as we may, that thought should certainly be enough to stop us in our tracks and cause a bit of healthy reflection. For most of us, being busy is a way of life. From sunrise to sunset, an undercurrent of hurry drives our culture. So much so that “Hurry Sickness” is now considered a diagnosable condition. Without the careful pursuit of deceleration, our body, mind, and spirit suffer the effects of hurried living.

No surprise, recent data shows that more than forty million adults aged eighteen and older suffer from a general anxiety disorder. The fruit of so much anxiousness often shows up in the body through disrupted sleep, digestive disturbance, headache, lowered immune response, and cortisol imbalances. We, as a culture, are literally hurrying ourselves to death in ways God never intended. The Bible tells us God desires the opposite. Rather than rushing through life, the Word of God says let us “lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Most of us would not say we’re consciously pursuing harmful habits. Most of us desire healthy, whole, holy living that leads to life, peace, joy, and purpose aligned with God’s plan. Achieving that, though, takes more intentionality than ever before. We must no longer conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by renewing our minds. Then we can evaluate and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will. In practical terms, how do we go about doing that? There are many ways God may reveal to you, but let’s look at a few helpful ways to begin breaking the hurry pattern.

Slow down with the help of silence

Life is full of chatter. There is extraordinarily little room in most of our lives for silence. Practicing silence is, however, one of the most effective ways to slow our bodies, minds, and spirits. And it was modeled to us by Jesus himself. If God needed time to soak up the silence, we most certainly do as well. For many, silence is arguably the most difficult practice to follow. If stillness and silence make you squirm, you’re not alone. Begin slowly (no pun intended) and work your way up to extended periods of silence. Silence is both internal and external. Find a time every day when you can be both in a quiet place externally and a calm space internally. Don’t be discouraged if you find that you must schedule silence. Don’t throw your hands up if you find it challenging and uncomfortable. And don’t beat yourself up if you start small with only a few minutes of silent solitude. The goal is to intentionally sit before God surrendered, able to hear Him and receive His love and presence. For us doers, consider it an act of worship (it most certainly is!).

Set Micro-Goals

The Enemy loves to pack shame and condemnation onto the load as if our hurried pace isn’t heavy enough. How ironic that we are driven to endless responsibility only to feel bad for doing so. One of the most effective ways to combat the Enemy’s weapon is to set small, achievable goals for slowing down. Simply start with one or two ways that you can help slow your mind and body to make more space for the soul. A few ideas may include:

• Get up 10 minutes earlier than usual to pray, worship, or read the Word.
• Shutting off all notifications on your devices
• Consider trading in reading on devices for good old-fashioned paper books and bibles.
• Get rid of clutter
• Get rid of digital clutter – delete unnecessary apps, emails, news, and alerts.
• Stop weighing yourself
• Instead of watching tv, or looking at anything digital before bed, spend 15 minutes before sleep just sitting quietly with Jesus.

Reset Your Motivation

Do you know that our lives have God-given boundaries? Psalm 16 tells us, “The Lord himself is my inheritance, my prize. He is my food and drink, my highest joy! He guards all that is mine. He sees that I am given pleasant brooks and meadows as my share! [the boundary lines fall in pleasant places] What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the Lord who counsels me; he gives me wisdom in the night. He tells me what to do. I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or fall. Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy. For you will not leave me among the dead; you will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave. You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence.”

God puts limitations on us to bless and protect us. When we feel an insatiable drive to stretch ourselves far beyond those limits, we must ask ourselves why. Ask the Lord for the courage to assess your hurry. Is your bent toward busyness rooted in?

• A need to perform for approval
• Avoiding quiet to avoid thoughts and feelings
• Fear of failing God or others
• Pride
• Falsely finding purpose and identity in overdoing

To treat the sickness, you need to understand the source of the disease, right? In prayer, ask the Lord to reveal what motivates your pace. Confess Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” In every aspect of your life, ask the Lord to heal places in your head and heart that drive you to hasten His pace. Pray, “God, are you calling me to do less? Please show me what that looks like. Please show me how to be still and know that you are God.”

I love this simple but profound prayer from Glynnis Whitwer, staff writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, “Lord, thank You for Your patience with me. You are never in a rush when I come to You. Help me turn to You more often and invite Your Spirit to have His way in me, bringing a calmness I desperately need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

May we all enjoy an unhurried pace today.