Do you feel weary?
Do you ever feel bone-deep tired—not just in your body or mind, but in your soul? Maybe you've been chasing success, juggling endless responsibilities, and still feel empty. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Jesus speaks directly to this in Matthew 11:28-30:
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Our culture hands us metrics for success—status, productivity, speed—but what if those metrics are skewed? What if the life Jesus offers is radically different? If you're ready to explore a countercultural journey toward rest and renewal, this is for you.
In our recent Every Good Endeavor study, we explored how faith shapes our work and why Christians often live counter to cultural norms. One of the key takeaways was that work is good, but it's not ultimate. When work becomes an idol, hurry follows close behind.
Our culture glorifies hustle, but Scripture calls us to something better: a rhythm of work and rest that reflects God's design. In Genesis, God worked and then rested—not because he was tired, but to model a pattern for us. In the same way, Jesus invites us to step off the treadmill of endless striving and find rest for our souls.
This blog series will build on that foundation: if we want to live faithfully in our work, we must also learn to slow down. Eliminating hurry isn't laziness—it's obedience. It's making space for love, joy, and peace to flourish in our lives.
The Problem—Hurry, the Great Enemy of Spiritual Life
Hurry isn't just a scheduling issue; it's a spiritual one. Dallas Willard said,
"Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life."
Why? Because hurry is the root problem beneath so many toxic symptoms in our world. Corrie ten Boom put it bluntly: "If the devil can't make you sin, he'll make you busy." Both sin and busyness disconnect us—from God, from others, and even from our own souls.
There's nothing wrong with being busy in the right way. Jesus himself was busy, but never hurried. The problem comes when we have too much to do and the only way to keep up is to rush. In the kingdom of God, love is the highest value… and love takes time. Hurry and love are incompatible.
Think about it: when you're rushing out the door late for an appointment, do you feel love, joy, and peace? No. Hurry kills the very things Jesus said matter most.
A Brief History of Speed
Our obsession with speed didn't happen overnight.
Busyness has even become a status symbol. A century ago, leisure signaled wealth; today, it's hustle culture. And with the iPhone came the "attention economy"—apps designed to keep us distracted and addicted.
So what is all this doing to our souls?
Something is Deeply Wrong
Do you suffer from "hurry sickness"? Here are 10 symptoms:
- Irritability - You snap easily, especially at those closest to you.
- Hypersensitivity - Minor things throw you into an emotional tailspin.
- Restlessness - Even when you try to rest, you can't relax.
- Workaholism - You don't know when to stop. Or you can't stop.
- Emotional Numbness - You lack capacity for empathy or even your own feelings.
- Out-of-Order Priorities - You're reactive, not proactive.
- Lack of Care for Your Body - Sleep, exercise, and healthy food fall by the wayside.
- Escapist Behaviors - You binge Netflix, scroll endlessly, or overeat to cope.
- Slippage of Spiritual Disciplines - Prayer and Scripture are the first to go when life gets busy.
- Isolation - You feel disconnected from God, others, and yourself.
Hurry kills relationships because love takes time. Hurry kills joy, gratitude, and peace. And ultimately, hurry kills your soul. Jesus warned, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36).
The Invitation to Slow Down
The main idea of this series is simple: reassess how you spend your time so you can live a healthier, holier life.
- Head Change: Know that hurry sabotages your ability to love God and others.
- Heart Change: Desire to slow down and match the rhythm of Jesus.
- Life Change: Manager your daily activities to make space for what matters most.
Ask yourself: What do you do to rest? What would you do if you had more time to rest?
Our hustle mentality—jam-packed schedules, workaholism, and phone addiction—leaves us exhausted. Even our "rest" often looks like scrolling social media or binge-watching TV. But true rest is found in Christ.
Biblical Perspective
Consider Luke 10:38-42. Martha was distracted by preparations while Mary sat at Jesus' feet. Martha's busyness felt necessary, but she missed what mattered most—Jesus himself.
Many of us struggle to slow down because we feel anxious or guilty when we're not productive. But Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that God offers peace that surpasses understanding.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
So, what responsibilities can wait until you've spent time with the Lord? What would change if you prioritized presence over productivity?
Practical Steps Toward an Unhurried Life
- Audit your time - Look at a typical week. How much is filled with "things to do"?
- Create Margin - Schedule time for prayer, Scripture, and rest before adding more tasks.
- Practice Sabbath - Set aside one day a week for worship and rest.
- Limit Technology - Turn off notifications. Set boundaries for social media.
- Embrace Silence and Solitude - Spend time alone with God without distractions.
Busyness is normal in our culture, but it doesn't have to be your normal. Jesus invites you to a better way—a life of love, joy, and peace. Ask God to help you become aware of how you spend your time and what changes He wants you to make.
Next time, we'll start to explore the solution in more detail. Spoiler: it's not about adding more hours to your day—it's about changing the rhythm of your life.
Cornerstone Impact Update
One of the most important parts of the Cornerstone Portfolios is the ENGAGEMENT mandate. Our partners actively seek to work with companies to ensure Biblical principles are reflected in their management decisions. It essentially turns your money into a "missionary" mission every single day. This can cover a wide range of issues. A recent example was Inspire's engagement with Delta Airlines. Here is an excerpt from an email we received:
During our dialogue with Delta this year, we learned several important things about how the company is approaching these issues today.
Among them:
- A reaffirmation that hiring and promotions remain merit-based
- A sustainability strategy focused on operational efficiency
- Support for employee resource groups formed around employee interests, including employees of faith
- A move away from certain external political benchmarking frameworks
The result was a productive dialogue that ultimately led Inspire to withdraw a shareholder proposal after gaining clarity about policies already in place.
This is just one of many examples of how the Cornerstone Portfolios actively seek to further God's Kingdom. We recently updated our Cornerstone website to provide more details on the specific screens we use to select the holdings in our Cornerstone Portfolios. Check it out here.
