Published by WaterBrook Press on October 29, 2019
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life
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"Who am I becoming?" That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren't pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words:
"Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life." It wasn't the response he expected, but it was--and continues to be--the answer he needs. Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil.
Within the pages of this book, you'll find a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.
In this book, a megachurch pastor shares what he learned after a period of major personal, social, and spiritual burnout. At the beginning, Comer explains the history of American consumerism and overwork, explaining how our culture has reached its current crisis point. He then explains what Jesus has to say about these issues and provides practical suggestions for how people can eliminate hurry from their lives. This book is written in a very hip, modern style, and I got tired of the author’s constant references to how cool he is because he lives in Portland, but the overall material is sound, meaningful, and life-changing.
According to this book, secular attempts at eliminating hurry always fall short because they leave out Jesus, the most essential element. Comer grounds current cultural talking points like mindfulness and minimalism in their historic Christian context, showing how Jesus was alive to each moment, open to interruptions, and free of consumerism and avarice. Even though most modern Christians believe that it is unrealistic to follow Jesus’s lifestyle, living like Jesus frees us from the strained relationships and shallow spirituality that characterize modern life.
Comer compares Jesus’s moral teachings to scientific laws, saying that they are observable, testable, and carry consequences for those who run afoul of them. “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24) is a straightforward fact, not a lifestyle suggestion, and peace and renewal come from living in sync with God’s design for the world. Comer urges readers to accept their limits and thrive within healthy boundaries, and he provides lots of practical ideas for how we can slow down, practice solitude, honor the Sabbath, control our digital habits, and have rich, meaningful relationships. This book is a breath of fresh air during our current cultural moment, providing biblical answers to pressing problems.