This week on The Journey, we explored the balance between two seemingly opposing ideas - the call to work diligently and pursue our God-given purposes versus the need to slow down and eliminate unhealthy hurry from our lives. The key insight is that both perspectives have merit depending on our season of life and context. The biblical pattern of working six days and resting one isn’t meant to be replaced by either constant busyness or perpetual rest. Rather, we’re called to work hard at what God has uniquely positioned us to do while also being wise about distractions and maintaining healthy rhythms.
Takeaways:
* Define your work biblically, not culturally. Ministry and many modern jobs look different from traditional manual labor, which can create guilt or confusion about productivity. Remember that important kingdom work isn’t always measured by a time clock - conversations, preparation, and responding to unexpected needs are all valuable, even when they disrupt our plans.
* Eliminate distractions, not ambition. The goal isn’t to avoid all hurry or eliminate all ambition, but to ruthlessly cut out the things that drain our souls without adding value - particularly excessive social media consumption and constant digital noise. Consider what tools (like app blockers or scheduled “bricks”) might help you protect your focus for what matters most.
* Match your season with appropriate expectations. Younger people building careers and families may need to embrace ambitious seasons of hard work, while those further along may need to pull back from unsustainable pace. Be honest about which season you’re in and extend yourself grace accordingly.
