What's the Rush?

“Wisely and slow….; they stumble that run fast.”  William Shakespeare

Ever struggle with speeding in your car to get somewhere on time – even though you ideally prefer not to speed?

Have you ever been in such a hurry running out of the house to an appointment or to get somewhere that you didn’t take the time to tie your shoes or brush your teeth or say goodbye to a family member?

This has evidently been a life long struggle for humanity because at least as far back as King Solomon he wrote, “…. he who hurries with his feet sins.” Proverbs 19:2b  Just as fretting/worrying leads to evil doing according to the Psalmist in Psalm 37:8, so hurrying or rushing often causes us to sin either by breaking a law or snubbing someone in the process or by refusing to trust God and thereby walking in unbelief.

God said through the prophet Isaiah, “He who believes in Me will not be in a hurry.” Isaiah 28:16. Often rushing and hurrying about in a frenzy comes from unbelief. We rush and hurry because we think if we don’t get somewhere fast or get something done fast - bad or negative things will result. We somehow don't seem to believe God has His loving powerful hand on this situation. Deep rooted hour by hour faith in God as our good good Father, faithful provider, and powerful defender will help us slow down our pace because we know He will come through for us.

One of the Christian bands out there in the Contemporary Christian world that has ministered to us from time to time is the United Pursuit Band out of Knoxville, TN. And one of their songs we turn to sometimes when we are feeling stressed and under pressure or in a hurry is their song, “I’m not in a hurry”.  Sometimes when one of us knows the other is under the rushing weight/burden we will start singing this song with a smile on our face.

Our Father wants each of His children to be ever more fruitful in our service for Him, but fruitfulness never comes by fretting and frenzied activity. It comes rather by being like that “weaned child that rests against its mother” (see Psalm 131). My wife says I’m a lot more pleasant to be around when I’m like that weaned child rather than like a worried adult.

May the Holy Spirit help each of us to be ever more fruitful and joyful as we learn by His help to not rush and be in a hurry. God bless you abundantly today!