Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth (Proverbs 19:2).
Did you ever do important chores in a hurry, only to do them done all over again? Can you recall the frustration you felt? The hurrying habit often causes us to do things in ways that are slipshod, reminding us of the saying: A job well done is twice done.
When we hurry we often leave vital loose ends hanging and miss important facts we should know. We trip over matters, often missing relative sights, sounds, feelings, and God’s direction. We become emotionally fragmented and cannot think right. But with practice, we can enjoy the luxury of carrying out our work in an orderly fashion and at ease.
The Scriptures tell us that it is not good for the soul to be without knowledge and that our feet should not be in haste (Proverbs 19:2). But what is the knowledge needed here? We need to know and understand more about time.
Time, as we know it, is the duration of eternity and God is in charge of it. Who owns time? God does. All things were made by Him and for Him (John 1:3) and time is a part of that. And every moment of time is an unfoldment of eternity and the orderliness of God.
Sometimes we find ourselves hurrying, even when it is not necessary, Why do we hurry, even when there is no need for it? Two reasons stand out: lack of patience and lack of a sense of order in doing things. When we hurry, we might be thinking time is against us and is passing us by, or that we are losing out on some achievement, and we must hurry. We then begin to jostle with time, determined to win, and we often fail. But when we begin to realize the truth about time and that all things God created are moving in an orderly fashion, we begin to see there is no need for undue hurry and we are the ones to make adjustments.
Hurrying is a false concept, rooted in impatience; it is a form of worrying, bringing stress and anxiety in its wake, and very often things do not work out the way we expect. When we hurry, we often think we are in control, making things happen, and we are determined to win. But did you ever make plans in a hurry only to realize failure? Whenever we hurry, we run the risk of failing rather than gaining whatever we are chasing after.
Some of us have a passion for hurrying, whether in eating, speaking, or doing chores, thinking we are in control, but this is not a good sign. Hurrying shows we are not in control but are being driven by a false belief. We hurry because we think we do not have enough time, but would hurrying stretch time? Time cannot be stretched, it can only be realized.
How can we break the hurrying habit? Here are some tips: Begin your day by submitting it to spiritual guidance. As we awake in the morning, give thanks to God for the night past and commit your day to Him, literally asking Him to direct your day.
Take inventory, as best as you can, of what your projected tasks for the day would be. Run them through, one by one and ask the Lord to take care of it, to guide and direct you all through those activities and thank Him in advance. In planning you day, leave time for leisure, recreation, and most of all, for nurturing the spiritual life. And last, but not least, decree peace of mind, patience, and orderliness in your day.
However, should you find yourself hurrying during the day, pause and count to ten before moving on. This can be of great help to keep you balanced and focused. Then remind yourself that God is in charge. This will bring you a greater sense of orderliness and help you understand there is truly no need to hurry. Confirm to yourself that God has already made your day and He has already sent His messengers before you to prepare your day (Exodus 23:20).
Declare to yourself: Today is a great day. God has already established it and I gladly follow through. All is well. I have enough time to accomplish whatever I must do and I walk through it in peace, poise and serenity.
Gradually, your tendency to hurry will diminish.
You were created to have dominion over all things and can do much more at ease and with a focus than by hurrying hither, thither and yon. Savour the moments of your day, being keenly aware of whatever you are doing at any given time. Life would be more fulfilling and orderly.
Suggested Readings: Proverbs 2:8; Proverbs 3:6; Proverbs 3:19; Proverbs 3:26; Isaiah 55:3; Isaiah 55:8; Isaiah 61:8.
Reflection: God has already provided whatever time I need to do the things I must do.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your guidance and direction…teach me patience and orderliness. Amen.
