The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World
Published October 29th 2019 by Waterbrook Press, Hardcover 304 pages
"Who am I becoming?"
That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren't pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words:
"Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life."
It wasn't the response he expected, but it was--and continues to be--the answer he needs. Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil.
Within the pages of this book, you'll find a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I’ve never felt such joy while being so deeply convicted. This book really might change my life and I’m excited to lean into the way of life it presents, the unhurried lifestyle of Jesus Christ. Comer spoke directly to my anxious, restless and often frustrated soul with humor, and honesty, and deep wisdom. This book confronted the realities of my sin and my hurry which prevent me from love, joy, and peace. Yet it also gently and convincingly presented a solution, a solution embedded in Jesus’ own approach to life!
I’ve already started slowing down a bit after reading this book and it’s my goal to keep slowing down more and more so that I can cultivate the love and peace and joy of Christ in my heart.
I would recommend this book to literally anyone, but especially to Jesus-followers. Read this book. It’s abundantly encouraging and helpful.
Rating: really liked it
Like moths to a flame, we fly to a fire that will consume us. We each carry a profound sense of lack and loss, and in not feeling like we are enough or that we have enough we rush and reach to fill the void. But all the shiny screens and hustling habits leave us with little room to inhabit the lives we have as good and the God who drew near to us in Jesus as actually here. This book will grieve you in a good way and carry you to the feet of Jesus, where He’ll ask you to take up your mat and walk.
But do you want to walk?
Do you want to set aside what is shiny and sugary and soul-killing so you can savor the Presence of the God who is here?
This book artfully, winsomely, and wisely walks us to the wonder of life in Christ and the joy that can be ours when we keep company with Jesus by living in the unhurried rhythms of grace.
Bonus points in my book as a writer: genius short paragraph style for maintaining attention and kindly walking us where we are so apt to resist going.
Rating: really liked it
The first self help book I've ever read! Such a great read on really being intentional about slowing down and incorporating rest and relaxation into our lives. A much needed and very refreshing read!
Rating: really liked it
2 stars. I think that the author’s call to slow down and the importance of the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude, sabbath, simplicity, and slowing are essential to the abundant life in Christ. However, I really dislike his writing style and often felt annoyed by the little “relatable” things he added in. Also, I felt this book to be unpractical and really not until the last section did he give any helpful steps to begin the practices for which he advocates. This book could easily be reduced to only 100 pages and still pack the same punch.
Rating: really liked it
My son gifted me this as an audiobook because of some great conversations we had. He just sold his fancy new car and bought a “dumb” phone. I did not love the audio voice and I didn’t even agree with all the ways the author viewed the world, but and it’s a big one, I think this is a conversation we need to be having and I appreciate Comers willingness to say hard things. Still I will not be able to take a month off every summer but a day every week....absolutely vital. I highly recommend this conversation!
Rating: really liked it
Most life changing book ever
Rating: really liked it
I have loved John Mark Comer's books and teachings for a few years now. He has beautifully mastered the art of using his own unique voice when writing, making deep or hard topics seem easy to read. This book is no exception and, honestly, may be one of his best works. I felt convicted yet encouraged, exposed yet freed.
We live in a world that highly values productivity and hurry, celebrating the people who can "do it all". The church, sadly, often shares this same value. Yet this way of living has left nearly all of us, myself included, feeling empty, burned out, and weary. In this book, John Mark weaves teaching and insight with his own story of the struggle between the desire to prove his worth/do it all and the desire to actually enjoy his life, his ministry, his family, and, mostly, being a disciple Jesus.
This book has showed me a better way, and it's been like a breath of fresh air to my soul. There are definitely sections that felt heavy because they hit so close, exposing parts of me that I've hid for a long time behind the mask of busy-ness. Yet every thread he pulled unraveled things in me, giving me words for things I didn't quite understand yet and methods to finding rest and slow again. I honestly believe that every person needs to read this book to find a new way!
Rating: really liked it
The ruthless elimination of hurry is nothing other than A book that would look nice on a coffee table or on your latest Instagram post.
The author and book seemed to have a lot of hype around it, and was curious to read it. However it didn’t meet my expectations. While there where a few key concepts I enjoyed they where easily lost in Unnecessary metaphors and jokes that seemed to go on for pages at a time. The points that where made seemed over-explained and drawn out (however not in-depth or helpful).
At first it read like a well researched book with multiple references to theologians, pastors, saints ect. However, after a while it felt as though the author lacks authenticity, original thought and at times felt immature. The message was overall messy, Disengaging and in some areas off point.
With all this in mind and the $40.00 cost of the hardcover book with size 15 font and double spacing, could be best describe as a cash grab by a insta famous “pastor”.
There are more helpful and insightful books on this subject. One of which he mentions in his book which is “the celebration of discipline” another notable resource would be “the practice of the presence of God” and “created for community”
(Bookclubbook)
Rating: really liked it
4.5/5 stars.
This was incredible. A wonderful, quick (ironically), reset to find peace and comfort in Christ, not in money or time or productivity or possessions. It could not have been more timely. Comar included many statistics and research on how much time we spend on our phones or watching tv or just simply wasting time, and as a result, I felt a rush of guilt. I felt the pressure to be productive and guilt for having binge-watched YouTube and tv shows, but then after all of those statistics, Comar paused and quoted Matthew 11, and I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and release from the guilt I was just feeling. This book truly reminded me to put away the sins of the flesh and find comfort, rest, and satisfaction in Christ. There were also some practical tips and tricks to develop better habits and get rid of bad ones, this reminded me a bit of atomic habits, and it was really helpful as well. I will most likely read this again, and look into the author more. The audiobook was excellent and I would highly recommend.
Rating: really liked it
If you can get over the occasional youth pastor vibes (unnatural references to biggie smalls followed with lines like “yes, I just quoted biggie smalls”) and the fact he writes as he would speak (sentence fragments/periods meant to signify where you’d pause if you were reading aloud) THE CONTENT IS SO GOOD AND, for me, LIFE-CHANGING.
Rating: really liked it
A refreshing read/listen. Comer has a way of stretching one's comfort zone without making statements that are profound; they are simple invitations to slow the pace of life. I frequently felt called out as I progressed through the book, but John Mark's relatable and friendly tone revealed to me that a life of hurry is a common struggle. Similar to Garden City, he throws out interesting and memorable facts/statements that help reiterate how overwhelming our modern lifestyle has become. I thoroughly enjoyed one of the later chapters where Comer presents a tangible call to action in the form of a list. It gave me an urge to immediately change the way I live. This is a book I will definitely be reading again very soon.
Rating: really liked it
The amount of times someone has said, “I’m reading this book and it reminds me of you” or “I swear this book was written for you” is pretty humbling and very convicting.
I have never been someone to slow down. I over commit, over plan, over spend and it all ends up overwhelming me. A few years ago someone told me that this comes from the sin of wanting to be like God - wanting to be limitless. This message was reinforced in this book.
This summer I have been trying to press into slowing down. I spent college always moving and for my final year I want to challenge myself in embracing margin. I have been reading Ezekiel this summer and in chapter 20, God tells Ezekiel to show the Israelites their sin and one of the ones that is mentioned over and over again was “profaning the sabbath.” God cares about the sabbath. It mattered to Him then and it matters to Him now. I love how this book reminds readers that Sabbath is for rest and for worship.
Embracing our limits and inviting discipline (budgeting, limiting TV watching, limiting social events) into our lives will bring us closer to God. Following Jesus means emulating every part of his life - the slow and unhurried pace included.
Some quotes that I loved:
“Hurry kills relationships. Love takes time; hurry doesn’t have it. It kills joy, gratitude, appreciation; people in a rush don’t have time to enter the goodness of the moment” (52).
“Corrie Ten Boom once said that if the devil can’t me you sin, he’ll make you busy. There’s truth inn that. Both sin and busyness have the exact same effect - they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul” (20).
This is a five star book, I don’t say that lightly!!! EVERYONE. NEEDS. TO. READ. THIS.
Rating: really liked it
Soooo big caveat I should have read the synopsis/done more research before just diving into this book. I definitely didn’t realize there would be such a heavy religious perspective. That being said, I didn’t want not being Christian to stop me from giving the book a chance, especially because the topic was intriguing. But it did end up meaning that a lot of the book I just didn’t relate to. Again, not a fault of the book, that one is on me.
The ideas themselves I liked and will be trying but I wish the author gave more concrete examples on how to execute. There’s actually an online workbook that’s linked at the end of the book that I thought was soo helpful, I wish he just included that in the book itself, don’t know why he didn’t. Because without that most of the book was one of two things: 1) How we got to having such rushed lives and why it is bad for us (which I think the person reading is generally aware of hence why they are reading the book?) and 2) why each of his four ideas are important/help (with heavy emphasis here on sourcing the Bible and Jesus).
Finally, a minor note but a few times he seemed to put down other religions to elevate Christianity/Jesus? I noticed it particularly with Buddhism and it just didn’t sit well with me nor was it necessary in my opinion.
Rating: really liked it
My boss actually bought me this book and told me to read it. I'm so glad that I did. As someone who chronically overestimates his capacity and whose mind is always active, I really needed to read this plea to eliminate hurry. Comer's book is a quick and easy read, but it's packed full of great stories, quotes, Scripture references, and jokes. I appreciated his call and vision to lead a life that is 1) slower 2) characterized by internal/external silence 3) Sabbath 4) simplicity. While he beautifully explains all these concepts and makes a case for why they are important, he clearly states that these practices should only be a means to an end: they should cultivate more time and space to connect with the Lord and find rest in Him. I would highly recommend this book, and I believe its best read over one day. His generous spacing between short paragraphs makes this feat possible.
Rating: really liked it
This is a solid book to start a year with (or a week or a month). Comer walks us through his own process of putting into practice four spiritual practices that have helped him better follow the rhythms of the life of Jesus.
It’s fun, easy to read, and full of practical tips and challenging ideas.
The worst thing about this book is knowing he’s right about almost everything (except for being overly worried about polyester in landfills) and needing to really put the practices of Jesus into place in my own life.
