An Antidote For Hurry-up Sickness

An Antidote for Hurry-Up Sickness

Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” John 5:19

Do you ever eat your lunch so fast you can’t remember what you ate? get upset if you have to wait for anything and feel pressed for time even at the end of the day? Experts describe the extreme busyness that characterizes women’s lives as “Hurry-Up Sickness,” and their research shows it afflicts millions of women. The result of constantly living under the weight of time pressure and overload is a negative impact on our health: It doubles our chances of developing high blood pressure and suffering a heart attack or a stroke. It makes us impatient and saps the joy from our hearts.

While the experts have pinpointed the problem, they haven’t found a proven fix. But God knew way ahead of time the challenges we’d face in our twenty-first-century lives, and he has an antidote for Hurry-Up Sickness. He wants to free us from the pressured, driven life and guide us back to living for what really matters. We can start by looking at what the Bible tells us about how Jesus lived and then follow his lead. Though he had an important mission to accomplish, he didn’t work nineteen-hour days and burn out. The Savior didn’t rush from task to task. He went for walks and rested at night. He spent time in conversation with his Father. He taught and healed multitudes, but he drew away from the crowds and took time for fellowship and meals with his friends. Jesus didn’t need a Blackberry or a Day-Timer to tell him what to do every hour of the day. He did what the Father was doing and told him to do. What a good pattern for us to follow.

Before the crush of each day’s tasks, spend some time with the Lover of your soul, and ask him what he wants you to do in the hours ahead. Your Good Shepherd will never fail to guide and direct you into still waters, even in a day full of service, family, and work responsibilities. —CHERI

Thank you, Jesus, for being our perfect role model; you didn’t hurry or dash about but always did what your Father told you to do, at the right time. Help me to follow your example instead of succumbing to the Hurry-Up Sickness of our society.

Work without a love relationship spells burnout.

—LLOYD JOHN OGILVIE, MINISTER, INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER, FORMER CHAPLAIN OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE