Living Unhurried: My Takeaways from "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry"

I have an embarrassingly large stack of books in my "to read" pile. I truly enjoy reading, but I often cannot seem to prioritize sitting down and reading (and finishing!) a book. Can you relate?

However, there occasionally is a book that I come across that I cannot put down. I breeze through it, either due to the subject matter or the author's writing style. In the case of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer accomplished both. I was intrigued by the title after seeing a mentor of mine read and recommend it (shout-out to Paxson!), and while I was often deeply convicted of my own hurriedness while reading, I finished the book feeling encouraged in how I might slow down and live intentionally in my walk with Jesus. I echo one of the accolades in the front cover that the book was "refreshing, revitalizing, and a shock to the system". Here are my thoughts on John Mark Comer's The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.

Comer opens the book by reflecting on his personal experience with burnout when he was a megachurch pastor. Feeling overwhelmed and spiritually drained, he sought guidance from his mentor, John Ortberg. Ortberg shared advice he received from his own mentor, Dallas Willard:

“You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

Comer argues that hurry is the greatest barrier to a meaningful spiritual life and presents practical strategies for embracing a slower, Jesus-centered lifestyle.