The Cure for Hurry Sickness

When life feels chaotic, overwhelming, frustrating . . . what do you do? Who do you turn to?

How do you find calm in the midst of the storm?
Or better yet, how do you find calm, stillness, quiet . . . in the midst of busyness, rushing, and noise?

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Psalm 94:19)

What consoles you?

Isn’t it strange how FULL life can be and yet our souls are EMPTY?

I can’t help but want to scream to the world to “STOP. SLOW DOWN. BE STILL.”

And not because I’m an introvert and I think we should all lock ourselves up in silence.

But because I see the pain and the emptiness that comes from filling our schedules with things that don’t matter, to the neglect of things that do.

And because in the last 12 years I’ve worked with hundreds of children. And I see the effects of what this hurry sickness and busyness is doing to the next generation. Children can’t sit still. They need constant entertainment, they lack self-discipline, they think everything revolves around them and I’m pleading for us to say “enough” already!

So what’s the remedy? How do we fix this? How can we go from chaos to peace? From rushing to slowing down?

Throughout scripture you see the importance of Sabbath. You see from Genesis to Revelation God has designed life to have a rhythm. A rhythm of work and rest. A time where we shut down, slow down, sink down. To rest from the LOUD and retreat to the LORD.

In fact in Isaiah 58, God rebukes the nation for looking like they do religious things and yet missing the point of it all. “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; 
if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (v.13-14)

If you read from the beginning of this chapter you see, even his people were busy with “churchy” things and they were neglecting the LORD.

Being busy does not equal being fruitful.
Being busy FOR God does not equate time WITH God.

Did you know that when Jesus teaches about the 10 commandments in the New Testament, this is the only commandment that doesn’t change or get further explanation?

So you see what brings delight? It's not more work, activity, busyness . . . it's rest.

When was the last time you honored Sabbath?
Do you have a day (or even a few hours) this week to slow down and rest?
To share a good meal and spend time family?
To read through some scripture together and remember what this life is all about?

Slowing down is the only cure for hurry sickness. And I’m begging you for your own health and the health of the next generation, would you consider making Sabbath a regular part of your week? Would you consider even just a few hours of slowing down and abiding?

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

{Saturdays are for Seeing} Praising through the Pain

This week in Good News club, this was our memory verse:

“Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

We read the story in Acts 16 about how Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into jail for doing the work of the LORD. In this extremely hard time, they still rejoiced in the LORD.

Wouldn’t you know, I avoided studying for this lesson every.single.day. How could I teach children to “rejoice in the LORD always” and explain that means in good times and in bad times, and not even do that myself?! Yes, I, me, had to stand in front of children and teach them that as Christians we are to rejoice in the LORD always, even in the hard times.

I mean Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison and it says they “were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25)

Do you know how convicting it was for me to have to teach this lesson, after last Saturdays post?? It was like God was holding up a mirror to my face saying, this isn’t just for the children to know and memorize, it’s for you too daughter of mine.

How quick am I to offer advice to someone struggling to see past the pain, and yet slow to take that advice for myself.

I offer Romans 8:28 to people and reject it in my own life.

Like Job said, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10)

If Romans 8:28 is really true, He works ALL things (good, bad, hard, ugly) for my good, then why do I always want to push my way out of the trial and hurry my way through the lesson? I celebrate the good, and want to flee from the bad.

I guess because I’m human, I mean no one seeks out pain, right?! But really, what if the trials are meant to be a blessing? (Oh now I sound like Ann Voskamp, just way less creative and poetic). I just can’t wrap my heart or my mind around that. How the painful can be beautiful. How the trial can be a blessing. How the journey can be refining.

Why do I always just want to run away instead of run to the LORD?

Then I remember, my life is not my own.
It’s not my kingdom, it’s His kingdom.
It’s not my plans, it’s His plans.

I have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) and He is my all in all. The rest of my life is to be conformed into His image, and that means pursuing Christ more than pursuing comfort.

And you know what else is crazy about this little verse and story that I taught to a bunch of 5-6-7-8 year olds? In the midst of their pain, because Paul and Silas rejoiced in their suffering, the prison guard came to know the Lord Jesus and was saved!

So sometimes the best evangelism is rejoicing in the Lord, praising Him through pain. (Not for the pain, but through the pain). People see the LORD at work when our life is hard, painful, and messy and yet we praise Him always.

“Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Stay Connected

Friends . . . there is a disease among us. One that lures us in for the moment, but leaves us weary and unfulfilled by days end.

The Disease: Busyness.
Hurry!
Rush!
Go!

The symptoms: weariness, discouragement, bitterness, anger, discontentment, distress, unhappiness, ingratitude. We are too busy to stop, pause, reflect, listen, connect, and rest.

Our Doctor, Great Physician; Our Healer, the Lover of our souls, is well aware of our disease of busyness. That's why His word is full of prescriptions to nurse us back to health.

The Prescription: ABIDE
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Please, I beg you, don't continue to fill up your schedule to the neglect your soul. Will you consider doing less so that you can abide more? Stay connected to the True Vine . . . it is the only prescription that can cure. He is the only One that will make you healthy and whole.

"And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Put the Dishes Down, and Rest!

"A sitting silently at the feet of Jesus is of more worth than all the clatter of Martha’s dishes." - Charles Spurgeon

I read this on Twitter this week. It's not the first time I've seen it, and not the first time I've needed to hear it. I'm starting to take Sabbath seriously. Finding that resting in the LORD is the only way to accomplish anything.

So here's to doing less dishes this weekend and abiding more! Will you join me?

"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)