Mike Rutledge.CA

Secular and spiritual authors, bloggers, and content creators, have all tried their hand at pinpointing and solving the modern issues of hurry, distraction, depression, anxiety, anger, the list goes on, and I am sure you could add a few of your own. Books like, To Hell with the Hustle, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and Indistractable, to new a few, powerfully point out problems and solutions. The Minimalist Movement – can we call it that? – spiritualizes getting rid of stuff as a pathway to joy. I have even heard one leader tell the story that in her secular entrepreneurship course they were teaching about the importance of taking 1 day off a week as a novel idea – apparently Sabbath, the 6000 year old tradition, was never heard of.

The point is, we are trying to figure out how to right the ship a bit. Yet, I want to offer something that is not entirely new or unique but maybe just said differently. We need to embrace some fundamental tensions to move forward: that life is hard, you are called nonetheless to do something meaningful with yours, and that we should be doing it without frenetic hurry, anxiety, anger, comparison, and isolation – all modern traps in the pursuit of purpose. At the end of the day, 2 things need to change in our approach – how we define purpose and the pursuit of it, as well as, how we actually DO our calling or purpose, or call it life itself.

What I think we need to embrace is, Unhurried Urgency.

Yes, the tension is built right in. This idea has challenged me and shaped me so much. The more I think on it and meditate on it, I am convinced it is the way of the kingdom. GK Chesterton essentially said that the practice of Christianity has never been tried and found wanting, but has been found difficult and left untried. This is far more true than our modern minds (and hearts) can grasp. I mean that about myself as well, the way of life that Jesus invites all of us into constantly challenges cultural commitments and stories about success, purpose, pace, and life itself.

As an aside: I guess at this point it goes without saying that, yes, I am a Christian, and I think these ideas are fundamental to human life regardless of faith. I do think their greatest value is felt within the realm of faith and grace, and yet they stand as an invitation to any human, to try. Try the Way, and see.

If you have kept reading at this point, firstly thanks for your attention, I don’t take that investment lightly, and secondly, let me expand unhurried urgency. Here is how I often expand its meaning for people:

living unhurried in pace, yet urgent in purpose.

An unhurried pace is one where the soul is at rest, where you don’t sacrifice the health of your life, you aren’t bogged down by the race of comparison, nor trapped in the constant goings on of the modern world, or overloaded and bombarded by endless inputs of information most of which you don’t need. It’s realizing that no, you do not have to be accessible all the time to be successful. No, you don’t need social media. Yes, transition time between things are important. And yes, rest is a very good thing. Really it’s realizing that you live from the health of your soul. All the areas of your life – work, marriage, relationship, parenting, leisure, etc – are avenues where what is going on inside you will leak out. We can only pretend for so long that we have it all together. In a world of frenetic hustle, distraction, anxiety, comparison, and hurry, there is a better way: The unhurried pace of Kingdom, living at a pace that allows you to actually becomes a healthier human, through intentional practices, slowness, and focused purpose because…

…at the same time, our lives are not just floating by, nor are we pointlessly pursing pleasure, nor escaping life in spiritual practices. You were made with purpose. God, I believe didn’t make you to chase the endless potentials, but meaningful purpose. As we find it, we pursue it unapologetically, wholeheartedly, maximizing what he has given us within the limits of that. Joy will be found in proper stewardship of the responsibility to cultivate the area of creation you have been called too. This is no small or easy task obviously, and we have all different ‘layers’ of calling (marriage, parenting, community, etc.) and capacity to consider. Yet, once you can hone in on the very things you are called to invest your time, energy, heart, and skills into, you pursue it with an urgent heart, knowing time is short and God entrusted you with it, all while we embody the unhurried pace.

Who wants more anxiety? More anger (aka fear, sadness, unprocessed emotions, pride)? More frenetic energy endlessly winding up their souls? Who wants more comparison? And the feeling of less time for what matters?

I don’t. I don’t think you do. I hope I can help point us to the way. Follow along this journey with me.