WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MARRIAGE AND PARENTING? 

•   One of the greatest regrets that parents have when it comes to raising their kids is that they wish they would have not been so rushed in their parenting.
•   One of the greatest regrets that people have in their marriages is that they didn’t slow down to enjoy each other.

WHAT CAUSES ME TO LIVE HURRIED/RUSHED?

•   This is nothing new. Even those who were and are closest to God find themselves falling into the trap of becoming “hurried” in life.

1 Samuel 13:5-7 (ESV) 5And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. 6When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, 7and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

1 Samuel 13:8-12 (ESV) 8He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”

•   Saul becoming hurried was a result of fear. Saul became hurried because things didn’t go according to his timeline.
•   What can we learn from this passage?

1. FEAR IS A CLOSE FRIEND WITH HURRY.

      “HURRY IS NOT JUST A DISORDERED SCHEDULE. HURRY IS A DISORDERED         HEART.”1 

FEAR OF DISCOMFORT 

• Not making enough money, not being able to give my family the life they deserve, not feeling like I’m successful…
•   This is one of the greatest lies that the devil uses to deceive us.

FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO)

•   Missing out on experiences, relationships, a certain status…
•   Social media is a killer when it comes to this. We see the snapshots of people’s lives around us and immediately begin to compare.

Mark 8:35-36 (ESV) 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

             “…IF THE DEVIL CAN’T MAKE YOU BAD HE WILL MAKE YOU BUSY.”2

2. FEAR DRIVES US TO TAKE CONTROL.

1 Samuel 13:8-12 (ESV) 8He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.

3. THE RESULTS OF LIVING A HURRIED LIFE ARE NEVER GOOD. (See          Psalm 46:10 and Matthew 11:28-30)

•   When I live hurried, it often impacts those closest to me the most. It might seem like I’m accomplishing a lot, but at what cost?
•   There is a major difference between living a “hurried life” and living a “full life.”
  •   “Living hurried” means that our circumstances and calendars are what control us. It’s always feeling like you are just trying to survive. I don’t believe God created us to live that way.
  •   Living a “full life” means that we are intentional with every single moment that God gives us.

WHAT NOW?

1. Want to test and see if you are living a hurried life? At least three times this week, try this:

1. Turn off everything (phones, computers, music, everything) and sit in silence for 15 minutes. See if you can do it!
2. Learn to say “Yes” to the right things.
3. Learn to say “No,” even to good things.
4. Fight against the “Fear of Missing Out” mindset.
5. Schedule “Non-Scheduled” time—time where you have to ask the question, “What should I do with this free time?”and don’t rush to fill that time slot!

Passages to consider: Psalm 46:10; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Matthew 11:28-30  What from the sermon was meaningful to you?

1. Read Psalm 46:10 & Matthew 11:28-30. What do you see about rest and pace from these scriptures? A) What truth about God and mankind is being expressed?
2. What makes you feel hurried? A) How do you decide when to say yes and when to say no?
3. A healthy physical life involves eating good food and exercise. What is involved in a healthy spiritual life? A) ReadDeuteronomy 6:4-9. What do you notice in this passage?
4. What helps you recognize how the pace of life is impacting your relationships?
5. What pace is healthy for you and your family at this time? A) What rhythms or routines help you manage prioritiesand big rocks in your schedule and relationships?
6. What has God showing you about “game changers” for your relationships in this series?

EXTRA: Try one of these. 1) Take 10-15 minutes to be still and quiet with no electronics or distractions 1-3 times this week. 2) Take a time audit—be aware how you are spending your time. 3) Try a new rhythm or routine that supports the health of your family and relationships.