The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

John Mark Comer

Wow! First off, I didn’t realize how much “hurry” I have in my life. Second, I am so grateful for the suggestions from Comer on how to eliminate it. 

I’m not sure exactly how this book came on my radar but when it popped up in my ready to read folder, I was blessed. 

The book starts with describing hurry and how pervasive of a problem it is in our world today. It then goes on to make a case for the absence of hurry in Jesus’ life. As “apprentices of Christ” this makes a compelling reason to drop speed from our life as well. 

This most impactful section for me was towards the end – practical ways to turn life from rushed to intentional. And the suggestions were ruthless. 

But Comer is clear these aren’t meant to be a legalistic checklist of what to do or not to do. They are lessons he has implemented or attempts to implement in his own life and he has seen results. More importantly, he sees that they are how God has led him to a more focused life. By shedding culturally expected habits he has freed his mind to pursue the spiritually beneficial ones. 

It won’t happen overnight but I’m grateful that Comer gave me some ideas and disciplines to begin aligning my life closer to Christ’s. I can fight my addiction to my phone in order to have quality time with my friends and family. I can use the slow lane at the grocery store in order to uplift the grocery clerk. I can take a deep breath as I walk around the block instead of trying to eat and check emails on my lunch break. 

I can stop rushing to meet the deadline on this review and go read my next book.