This morning my teenage daughter and I were in the kitchen together, having a passing conversation about our plans for the day.

She asked, ​“What’s the newsletter about today?”

“Slowing down,” I replied, while realizing I was in a low-level state of hurry at that very moment.

It wouldn’t be quite right to say I was in a rush. Divided is a better word, with part of me already at work 30-minutes in the future, and the rest of me in the kitchen slightly irritated it wasn’t yet united with my future self.

Thankfully, Jesus kindly escorted that future part of me back into the present so all of me could enjoy a delightful conversation with my daughter.

This impulse to get to a desired future, be it 30 minutes or 30 months away, may present itself in overt or subtle ways, in exterior busyness or interior restlessness. In any case, the cure, as Katelyn Dixon points out, is to slow down to the pace of Jesus, a walking pace…

…that sees people,
…that’s interruptible,
…that is in utter dependence upon the Father.

As with any good principle that becomes popular in certain circles, I’m concerned that ​“ruthlessly eliminating hurry” becomes something we love to talk about but rarely live into. Maybe a prayer can help:

Jesus, I invite you to show me when my heart is clouded by hurry. Teach me to move at your pace. Drive out the greed that tries to force into the present that which belongs to another time. Help me refrain from picking unripe fruit. Make me present to people, conversations, and moments throughout my day where you are at work. And thank you for your patience, your otherworldly patience, that waits for me to slow down time and time again.”