What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. Matthew 6:32 (MSG)
Urgency Dilemma – The Rest Series – Part 4
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 7
I hear the word “urgent” a lot. Growing up, it was often used from the church pulpit in a, “now is the time, the end is now, desperate times, there is an urgency around salvation” kind-of-way. But over the years I’ve noticed that the use of the language and the atmosphere it creates does little to help, change, restore or redeem people.
I think we over-use the word and intent of “urgent.”
In my (limited) experience, a sense of urgency tends to create panic, negative tension, worry, the idea of scarcity (there’s not enough to go around, so you better get in quick), and breeds fear. It can be a handy manipulative tool for some who want to funnel the energies and focus of a group, workforce or society.
In the atmosphere of heightened panic and collective “we must do this now or suffer the consequences,” we tend to ignore our instincts and that small voice yelling inside our heart, and follow the crowd. We can see this happening in governments and corporations all over the world. We can allow ourselves to get swept in the urgent torrent, or we can be still, pray, and think. Ask, seek and knock. And then follow the path set before us.
Yep, there are times when we must act, and we must act quickly and decisively. There are times when decisions need to be made, and actions can no longer be put off. But if we are living as present as we can be, we will recognize what is important, what is calling us, what we need to put our hands and hearts to. We miss what's important, and we fail to see the details when we are swept up in urgency.
Urgency robs us of the opportunity to spend time well. In a faith sense, if everything is urgent, we’ll rush to get people to say the “sinner's prayer,” and to confess Jesus with their words. We won’t take the time to listen to them, love them, hear them and see them for who they are. Urgency robs us of the opportunity to create places of belonging in our worlds – belonging doesn’t happen in a mad rush, it happens in the living. Salvation is not a momentary experience; it’s a lifetime of transformation. Who’s to say when it begins and when it ends…
So much of our energy is used up on “urgent” matters. But take a moment to consider if the urgencies we bend our lives to, really are things that simply cannot wait. Say NO to fear and striving. Say NO to worry and relentlessly burning the candle at both ends. Say NO to the idea that there is not enough to go around, because, in fact, there is MORE than enough for everyone.
And if we would take the time to see that, we would be more willing to wait our turn and share what we have with those who have less.
Seek first the Kingdom, heaven on earth, peace, shalom, in the midst of all that there is to do. Rest in the presence of love. Yep, there are things to be done, but more important than that, there are people to love. Don’t let the sense of urgency rob you from paying yourself and others transformative attention.
Matt 6:30-32: “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.”
Go to Live By Gift – The Rest Series – Part 5
Written by Liz Milani
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