Kruse's Key: Read "Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" to Rediscover Time and Rest

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My copy of Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry embarked on a long journey before it finally found its way into my hands to read. Purchased some three years ago in Italy, it sat unread on my bookshelf there, then traveled with me to Arlington, and finally made its way down here to Brazil, where I at last picked it up. I deeply regret the dust i let gather on its cover as its proved to be one of the most important and influential (I hope) books I’ve read in the last decade.

Comer is quick to acknowledge that he is not an expert but is instead on a journey himself to eliminate hurry from his life. The book is a product of decades of conversations with mentors and biblical study.  In one conversation with another pastor/mentor, that man shares some bad news:

"The #1 problem you will face is time. People are just too busy to live emotionally healthy & spiritually rich & vibrant lives."

He challenges us to strike phrases like "Oh good, just busy" from our vocabulary, revealing that hurry isn't merely a disordered schedule but, as pastor John Ortberg suggests, "a disordered heart." He calls this ailment "hurry sickness"--how do you know if you have it?  As you might surmise from the following list of symptoms, most of us have it:  irritability, restlessness, emotional numbness, workaholism, and a slipping of spiritual disciplines, ultimately leading to isolation. The book’s core research question—"What is all the distraction, addiction, and pace of life doing to our souls?" The answer isn’t pretty and across society it’s only getting worse–as the violence of hurry destroys our bodies, children, spirits, communities, and the earth.  

The solution, Comer argues, lies in a "slowdown spirituality," a deliberate embrace of ancient spiritual disciplines (see also Tyler Staton’s “Praying Lke Monks, Living Like Fools"–my review is here). He emphasizes that "attention is the beginning of devotion," and "what you give your attention to is the person you become." Time, our universal limitation, demands intentionality, and sometimes, as Anne Lamott wisely puts it, "No' is a complete sentence"—a thousand "no's" for every "yes."  What we’ve seen in the U.S. over the last century is an inversion of money and time.  Unlike in the past where leisure and rest were valued, we spend time to get more money.

Comer’s Five key practices:

• Silence and Solitude: Jesus himself "needed time in a quiet place." Comer notes that a lack of silence and solitude creates a felt distance from God, leading us to seek intimacy elsewhere. Our  alone time with God is the foundational important spiritual discipline, enabling us to become "people of substance who have thought things out and have deep convictions."

• Sabbath: This isn’t about a day but a stopping.  A stopping to delight and taste that the Lord is good. It requires intentional preparation, saying "no" to many good things to say "yes" to the best thing. It's a recognition that "I have enough," a joyful feast where we "feast, play, dance, have sex, sing, pray, laugh, tell stories, read, paint, walk, and watch creation in its fullness."  This was hands down the biggest change I needed in my life. 

• Simplicity: In a culture where "atheism hasn't replaced cultural Christianity, shopping has," Comer urges us to declutter our lives physically, guided by William Morris's principle: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." This involves considering the true cost of items (e.g., sweatshops, sustainability etc.), avoiding impulse buys, sharing, and making giving a habit.

• Slowing: Put the phone down  and make yourself wait on purpose. From driving the speed limit and getting in the long line to making our phones "dumb" and setting time limits for social media, Comer provides actionable steps to implement this. 

Comer's vision is compelling: "We achieve inner peace when our schedule is aligned with our values," as Steven Covey noted. It’s about adopting the "lifestyle of Jesus," who was "rooted to the moment," unbothered by interruptions, and offered equipment (a "yoke" of teaching) rather than an escape from our burdens.  Being interruptible has been the hardest thing for me but also the biggest change I need to make in my life.

Ultimately, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" isn't just a book; it's an invitation.  An invitation to Silence, Solitude, Simplicity, Slowing, and Sabbath to finding God in the present and finding true and lasting joy in his presence.

KEY QUOTES:

Xv "Let God take care of the world"  -Ortberg

21 "The #1 problem you will face is time. People are just too busy to live emotionally 

healthy & spiritually rich & vibrant lives." 

53 "Attention is the beginning of devotion." 

• Mary Oliver 

54 "What you give your attention to is the person you become." 

55 "Hurry is not a disordered schedule. Hurry is a disordered heart." -Ortberg 

70 ' 'No' is a complete sentence." -Anne Lamott 

94 "We achieve inner peace when our schedule is aligned with our values." 

- Steven Covey 

130 "Jesus needed time in a quiet place." 

136  "When you spend one hour a day adoring your Lord and never do anything which 

you know is wrong... you will be fine." 

• Mother Theresa when Nouwen asked her for spiritual direction. 

155 "Sabbath is the holy time when we feast, play, dance, have sex, sing, pray, laugh, tell 

stories, read, paint, walk, and watch creation in its fullness." 

- Dan Allender in "Sabbath" bk. 

180 "Atheism hasn't replaced cultural  Christianity, shopping has." 

• Jean Baudrillard 

208 "Have nothing in your house that you do  not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." 

-William Morris, designer 

240 "People who meditate become people of  substance who have thought things out and have deep convictions, who can explain difficult concepts in simple language."-Tim Keller 

KEY CONCEPTS

1 Hurry = too much to do 

Opposite = do what really matters w/strength & joy. 

21 Strike from your vocab: "Oh good, just busy." 

• When there's too much to do-you have to hurry to keep up. 

28 we need: "slowdown spirituality." 

31 Pre Edison - avg. person slept 11 hours!! 

33 In 60's scientists predicted by 1985 Americans would only work 22 hrs a 

week for 27 wks a year. 

34 Departure from 1950's when cities shut down on Sundays 

35 Losing sabbath culturally = losing a day to lay bare our souls before God. 

39 Tech execs pay for private schools that don't allow devices. 

43 The BK's RESEARCH QUESTION: What is all the distraction, addiction, and pace of 

life doing to our souls? 

46 "Hurry sickness" = toxic (52) 

48-51 

1. Irritability 

2. Hypersensitivity 

3. Restlessness 

4. Workaholism 

5. Emotional numbness 

6. Out of order priorities 

7. Lack of self-care (weight, sleep) 

8. Escapist behaviors 

9. Spiritual disciplines slip 

10. Isolation-disconnected , 

53 “Successful" life = violent war on bodies, children, spirity, communities, earth 

54 Attention > $ ← most precious resource 

69 Time is our universal limitation 

70 Yes = 1000 . no's' 

72 Average American time on TV: 2,700 hrs 

Social media: 705hr 

77 Salvation = soteria (Greek) = healing 

82 Life of Jesus requires lifestyle of Jesus

84 Overemphasis in western church on theology > lifestyle (of Jesus) 

86-7 For our burden- Jesus offers  equipment (ie. a yoke) instead of an escape. The "yoke" in 

NT. also refers to a Rabbi's method of teaching. 

91 Jesus was rooted to the moment-this allowed him to be unbothered by interruptions. 

94 A rule of life centered on slowness, minimalism

124-5 Jesus wasn't tempted after 40 days fasting in the wilderness from a place of weakness 

but rather of strength  That fasting gave him the power He needed 

130 N. T. describes Jesus & quiet times a ton. 

130 When we're busy we need more quiet time & solitude!

133 QUIET → gives emotional healing 

134 Silence = internal & external solitude = Alone with God & your soul 

the most important of the spiritual disciplines 

137 Lack of silence & solitude = felt distance from God seeking intimacy from podcasts & 

devos 

140 Mindfulness = (silence & solitude) - God 

142 Bring back quiet time 

145 Restlessness = infinite desire-finite soul 

SABBATH 

148 Sabbath = to stop = (also) to delight 

150 Sabbath takes preparation & intentionality 

• saying 'no' to many good things so you can say 'yes' to the  BEST THING

• sabbath changes every day of the week 

161 Sabbath decision matrix: 

• Is it rest & worship? If no, it waits.

164 Sabbath = a life rhythm that gives emotional & spiritual life 

168 Sabbath is recognition  that "I have enough" 

• Don’t  buy, sell, shop, surf the web 

173 Goal: Sabbath = best day of the week 

175 Sabbath as a joyful feast, nap, pray more Sabbath "schluf" 

185 Father of American advertising! Edward Bernays (Frend's nephew) took Nazi 

propaganda & brought it to advertsing 

188 After $175k a year, you either  plateau or decline in HAPPINESS 

191 The last 50 yrs we traded time & $. 

• We now spend time to get money, instead of the reverse • 

201 Declutter your life:  

Does it add value to life? 

Does it spark joy? 

Too much in small space? 

No longer loved or used? 

Leads or led to disorganization

202 Paul calls Ephesians to simplicity and generosity so they can "take hold of the life that 

is truly life." 

203 Jesus likely wasn't poor, he spent his life as a carpenter and in simplicity.  His garments 

on the cross were gambled over.

204-12 12 Principles to Simplicity 

1. Consider true cost of item 

2. Does it oppress poor of hurt earth 

3. 3 No impulse buys

4.  Buy higher quality & less 

5. Share 

6. 6 Make giving away a HABIT 

7. Live budget 

8. Enjoy things you don't own 

9. 9 Appreciate creation (the outdoors) 

10. Appreciate simple pleasures 

11. Call out propaganda in advertisement 

12. Fight materialism with cheerful demeanor- Joy is best persuasion 

215 Contentment is costly but HURRY costs time, money, conscience & health 

215-6 Paul's statement that he can do  all things through Christ who strengthens him is about 

"learning to be content" SLOWING 

221 Slowing def: making ourselves wait on purpose 

223-28 Slowing TOP 10 

1. Drive Speed Limit 

2. Go in slow lane 

3. Come to a full stop 

4. Don't text & drive 

5. Be early & leave phone in pocket 

6. Get in the long line 

7. Make your phone dumb 

8. Get a flip phone 

9. Put your phone to bed with your kids 

10. Don't touch your phone till post Quiet time "Win the day" 

11. Set times for email (9 + 4) 

12. Set social media time limit 

13. No TV-or decide on a number (xx hours) 

14. Single task 

15. Walk slower 

16. 1 day a month in silence & solitude 

17. Journal 

18. Try mindfulness & meditation Breath scripture in tout 

19. Take long vacations (8 day sweet spot) 

20. Eat in more 

244 Make eliminate hurry a game 

A QUIET LIFE 

247 Silence, Solitude, Simplicity, Slowing, and Sabbath = a means to return to God and our 

true selves 

249 "All the best" is in THE PRESENT

For Further Reading:

• 📘 Eternity Is Now in Session: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught About Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place – John Ortberg

• 📘 Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ – Dallas Willard

• 📘 The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus's Essential Teachings on Discipleship – Dallas Willard

• 📘 Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature – Peter Scazzero

• 📺 YouTube Video: Teach Us to Pray – Week 2 – Jon Tyson

• 📘 Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year – Anne Lamott

• 📰 Article: "Porn and video games are ruining the next generation of American men" – Ashley Lutz, Business Insider

• 📘 An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus' Rhythms of Work and Rest – Alan Fadling

• 📖 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NIV) – Bible Gateway

• 📘 Letters by a Modern Mystic: Excerpts from Letters Written to His Father – Frank C. Laubach