I’m reading this great book entitled, The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg. It’s a book about spiritual disciplines, something I know very little about. As I began to read it a couple of weeks ago, I realized that Mr. Ortberg knows how to communicate this heavy subject in a very practical way, using language that even I understand.

One of the chapters that really hit me between the eyes was titled “An unhurried life.” He talks about how people these days take time more serious than eternity. He describes how obsessed we are with “fitting it all in” and describes how hurry and love are basically incompatible. Upon reflection it was easy to diagnose.

I most certainly have “hurry sickness.” I am always wishing for more time. I wonder if I will ever be content…

The scariest part is that I believe him when he writes, “The most serious sign of hurry sickness is a diminshed capacity to love. Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible. Love always takes time, and time is one thing hurried people don’t have.” Wow! How convicting is that!

God has provided several opportunities for me within the last two weeks to prove my patience and dependance on Him. My prayer is that I continue to heed Mr. Ortberg’s advice and practice “slowing” my life down in order to wait on the Lord and expand my capacity to love (especially those closest to me).

This passage in James provides a reminder to continue to “stay the course” and rely on God:

“Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail. “

Pray that I stick with it.