Prayer as Resistance to Hurry and Burnout
Devotional week 6
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35 (ESV)
“Hurry is not of the devil; hurry is the devil,” goes the famous quote attributed to psychologist Carl Jung. While we believe that the Devil does exist as a spiritual being, I am certain that busyness and hurry are among his main strategies to prevent Christians from growing spiritually and living out God’s purposes in their everyday lives. C.S. Lewis writes about this in “The Screwtape Letters,” where he imagines a dialogue between two demons. The more experienced demon instructs his younger nephew on how to combat Christians effectively: by always keeping them busy and distracted! Don’t give them a second of peace and quiet. Let them always keep the radio on, read the newspapers, and move from task to task.
When we think of the arsenal of distractions available today, compared to 1942 when Lewis wrote the book, we can easily get discouraged and think the battle is lost. But we have a mighty helper. Paul encourages Timothy, his disciple, with these words: “...for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” We need to make conscientious choices every day about who or what we give our time and focus to. If not, we will not be able to withstand the bombardment of app notifications, news reels, or just everyday chores that surround us.
We must do as Jesus did; several times we read that Jesus went alone to pray. If He needed to be in a silent place to pray, surely we need it too. Let’s not be driven by the external pressures and inputs of this world, but by an internal desire to set aside time in silence and prayer. Then we might more easily hear the still voice of God and have our plans, needs, and worries adjusted and put in the right perspective. When we do this, God has promised us that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Challenge
Think of one thing you could start doing that would slow down the pace of everyday life and give you an opportunity to listen to the still voice of God.
Prayer
Father, help me find the space and time to be in silent prayer so that I will not be overcome by busyness and the demands of this world. Give me wisdom to understand that “one thing is necessary”: spending time with you.
A Tent International Devotional — by Arne Kristoffer Haaland