The Unhurried Life: How to Follow Jesus in a Culture of Hurry

The Culture Is Loud. Jesus Is Present.

Everything is fighting for your attention—emails, texts, deadlines, noise. You've probably heard the phrase: "Where attention goes, power flows." But what happens when our attention is always elsewhere?

I’ve been there—cooking dinner, on FaceTime, watching TV, answering kids—all at once. It's exhausting. We weren’t made for lives we don’t have time to live.

Jesus lived differently. He created space for God and slowed down enough to love people well.

Mary and Martha: A Lesson in Presence

In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus visits two sisters. Martha is busy hosting with the best intentions but is “distracted by many things.” Mary sits at Jesus' feet, fully present.

Jesus doesn’t scold Martha for serving—but He gently affirms Mary for choosing what mattered most: being with Him.

"The rarest form of generosity is the giving of attention."

Harvard Study: 47% of the Time, We're Not Really Here

A Harvard study found that people’s minds wander 47% of the time. That means nearly half of our conversations happen while we’re mentally somewhere else.

But love requires presence. Jesus invites us to be fully here.

Selah: Are you more like Martha or Mary lately? What shaped that pattern?

Ministry in the Margins: A Target Encounter

Last week, I met a woman named Carmelita at Target. Her drawer jammed. She was hurting from sciatica. I stayed. Prayed. She shared her spiritual curiosity. I invited her to church.

It only took a few minutes. But it could’ve been missed if I was rushing.

"Every need is a call to prayer." — Watchman Nee

Jesus Welcomed Interruptions

Most of Jesus’ miracles were interruptions:

  • Mark 5: He pauses to heal a woman while heading to a dying child.

  • Mark 10: He stops for Bartimaeus amid a crowd.

  • Luke 19: He sees Zacchaeus and invites Himself to dinner.

Jesus never rushed. He moved at the speed of love.

The Fruit of Slowing Down

Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Spirit:

  • Love: Jesus saw value in everyone.

  • Joy: He brought joy, not pressure.

  • Peace: He calmed chaos.

  • Patience: He stayed with the hurting.

  • Kindness: He welcomed outsiders.

  • Goodness: He did what was right.

  • Faithfulness: He kept every promise.

  • Gentleness: He was approachable.

  • Self-Control: He practiced rest.

Following Jesus means bearing this kind of fruit—not just doing more, but becoming more like Him.

Selah: Which fruit of the Spirit shows up most in your life right now? Where is God inviting growth?

What This Means for You

You don’t need more hours in the day. You need more presence in the ones you already have. Jesus calls us to:

  • Make time for unhurried conversations

  • Notice people and pray when prompted

  • Be interruptible

  • Practice Sabbath rest

Austin Largusa