Ann Voskamp must have been reading my journal when she wrote, “The hurry makes us hurt,” in her book, One Thousand Gifts.
Voskamp is right. Hurry hurts:
Hurry hurts our soul.
Hurry hurts our body.
Hurry hurts our mind.
Hurry hurts our relationships.
Hurry hurts our dreams.
Hurry hurts.
I crave the hurry. Too often I confuse busyness with worth as I jam-pack ordained moments with schedules, lists, play dates, unnecessary errands and designer coffee hoping to build a life that matters. This pushing and striving serves me well as it provides a path for me to avoid stillness with a sense of list-checking-accomplishment; however, the quest for value through a hurried life is an unfulfilling carrot-on-a-string pursuit.
Hurry betrays us every time. Hurry is the alarm that interrupts our rest. Hurry is the thief that steals our joy. Hurry is the distraction that hides our purpose.
We were not created to hurry. We were created to be still with the Creator. God never calls us to race around in a hurried mess, yet we sprint towards an ever-shifting finish line hoping to find worth. We convince ourselves that if we just keep moving, everything will work out — but it never does.
Hurry does not have to be our choice. When we choose to be still, healing from the hurry happens.
Where is stillness in motherhood? It’s everywhere. Rejecting hurry and embracing stillness as moms happens when we:
Sing a song.
Write a letter.
Say a prayer.
Read a book.
Listen to a voice.
Heal a wound.
Give a smile.
Make a day.
Kiss a cheek.
Play a game.
Take a breath.Chase a dream.
Value a life.
The hurry makes us hurt. Stillness brings healing. Today, I will listen to the longings of my soul and choose to be still.
Tasha Levert, Ph.D., is a licensed professional counselor in New Orleans who provides face-to-face and online care. She is a conference speaker, worship leader and the author of Stories of Hope for the Sleep Deprived. Tasha and her husband Tim (Pastor with Students at the Vineyard Church of New Orleans) have three beautiful daughters and a lazy schnauzer named Gumbo.
To find out more about Tasha or her practice go to
tashalevert.com or broomtreecounseling.com.