Eliminating Hurry Part 2
Eliminating Hurry Part 2
Ill. Heard on news last week a huge decline in teens getting jobs for summer. Normally there is an increase of teens getting jobs for summer. Commentators sited it was dues to teens feeling too much anxiety/pressure. This younger generation can’t handle the pressure!
- Books sales have increased 25% on topic of anxiety.
According to Medical News Report, 1 in every 5 people suffer from some form of anxiety. A mild form of anxiety may be worry over something unreasonable to PTSD and OCD. This is just a sign of what is to come!
GOD told Daniel that in the end times things would speed up:
“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Dan. 12:4
Ill. Many of you have wireless technology that your grandparents would have been amazed at. “Alexa, play this song, or lock the front door, turn on the security system, set the thermostat.”
- All this technology is slowing our lives down, but our hearts are speeding up. We are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, hurried.
The solution is not getting more time but learning how to be less hurried in our hearts.
JESUS was a Rabbi (Teacher) and modeled the way we are to live life. To follow HIM would mean you become HIS apprentice, live every day with HIM and learn how HE lived HIS perfect life.
“Come unto ME all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“I rest, you rest, My rest you rest” Jon Jackson
“Take MY yoke upon you” = the beam of balance. A yoke to JESUS will slow you down to HIS pace.
PIC of scales:
This is learning process – to slow down and bearing HIS yoke is being aware of HIS PRESENCE – like before I speak to check with HIM. Before I do something to check with HIM. Does HE have a better way?
“Learn of ME” – learn by everyday practice of being led by ME.
We never become experts at hearing GOD or following the HS. We learn – we make mistakes – we try again.
Ill. JESUS told HIS disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had been endued with power from on high – HS. We also do well to wait upon HS to lead us – before we speak, before we do something.
Rushing around is not anything you can do when you are yoked to JESUS!
4 practices for unhurrying your life:
1. Silence and solitude – personal retreat? A day to be unavailable from I-phone and email, messages?
- Quiet yourself in the inside – Psalm 46:10
2. Sabbath = to stop. Pause, rest, selah. Do not work 7 days a week! Give one whole day devoted to your relationship with GOD. Isaiah 58:13-14
3. Simplicity – downsize, clean out closets, garage. Clutter invites confusion.
4. Slowing - drive the speed limit in the slow lane. Make a complete stop at stop signs. Get to appointments 10 minutes early. Intentionally slow down your day.
Questions:
1. What do you think JESUS meant by taking HIS yoke upon you?
2. Why do you think JESUS always took HIS time?
3. What can you do to slow down?
Hurry is incompatible with LOVE
How does hurry and busyness rob me of the capacity to love like GOD?
“Love is patient” I Cor. 13
Hurry is incompatible with JOY
Hurry is incompatible with PEACE
Hurry is incompatible with Patience and all fruit of the SPIRIT.
Hurry and the issue of control are connected. Learning to let go of control will help you in eliminating hurry from your life.
Ill. Last week I told you about my encounter with God and HIM telling me,
“I am about to give you CPR (contentment, peace, and rest).”
Why “about to give me”? Why not now? Now it has been ten years later, and I believe it has to do with control.
Not able to receive it from HIM until I first learn to let go of control of some things.
Ill. For me one issue was control of the church due to previous hurt, betrayal, and disappointment from the previous church. This church was established with the pastor has the final say so on all matters. That was done to protect myself from betrayal and hurt again. But you can’t live that way – trying to protect yourself. You have to release this to GOD and let HIM lead you.
Ill. Same type if a woman has been betrayed and divorced – it is hard to trust a man again – but this is really an issue of letting go of control to GOD.
“As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to GOD, because HE was my friend.
But instead of leaving HIM in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help, with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried, “How can YOU be so slow?”
“My child,” HE said, “What could I do?
You never did let go.” By Tim Hansel
Ill. Fall is our favorite time of year because it illustrates the beauty and value of letting go. If the trees never let go of their leaves new growth would not be possible.