Hello, everyone! Sorry I’m a little late with this post; it’s been another busy week for me! I’m excited to be sharing a review of John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry today!

Buy on Amazon – Add on Goodreads

Book: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

Genre: Christian Living/Self-Help

Blurb:

“Who am I becoming?”

That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren’t pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words:

“Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.”

It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was–and continues to be–the answer he needs. Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil.

Within the pages of this book, you’ll find a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world. (cover and blurb from Goodreads)

My Rating: 4.25 stars

Recommended Age: 18+

My Review:

This was a very encouraging, thought-provoking read! I have been studying the topics of time management and rest from a Biblical perspective lately, and this was a great addition to my studies. The first half of this book focused more on the theology of hurry and rest, and the second half focused more on practical suggestions to combat hurry.

I did not agree with all of Comer’s theology or the religious leaders he quoted (or his political ideas, which I do not think were a necessary addition to the book), and I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style (very informal, lots of sentence fragments, lots of euphemisms and trying to sound “cool” and relatable, all of which I personally think took away from the content a bit), but there were still a lot of insightful ideas in this book. I especially appreciated the chapter on the Sabbath and how it was instituted not as a legalistic rule but as a gift and a blessing for mankind, an opportunity to rest and worship (and I liked how he explained that rest and worship will look different for different people, but the most important thing is enjoying God and His blessings). I also appreciated the practical suggestions for how to live a slower, simpler life. While I don’t think all of them are realistic for the stage of life I am in, nor would they be for a lot of people, there were also a lot of suggestions that I would like to incorporate in my life, such as setting times to check email and social media and having a device-free day every week.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who desires a slower, simpler life. Have you read The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry? Do you have any other favorite books about time management or rest? If so, let me know in the comments; I would love suggestions!

I will be back again next week with a recap of my July!