I recently became aware of a book by an American pastor (John Mark Comer) called The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. I have not read the book myself, so I cannot vouch for the content of it, but the title of the book got me thinking. The author was once told by a mentor to ruthlessly eliminate hurry, in order for his spiritual life to be resuscitated. He wrote a book based (at least partially) on this advice. When I'm combating PMO, my first go-to plan is to stay busy. I have also advised other people to remain busy, in order for them to stand a better chance in the fight. I do however worry that the hurry (or at least the self-satisfied industriousness) caused by a busy schedule may become another false god, as sly and cunning as the PMO habit that I'm fleeing from. There's a quotation from the book that I found to be eerily relevant to my life: "Corrie ten Boom once said that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. There’s truth in that. Both sin and busyness have the exact same effect—they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul." I don't know if this applies to none of you, all or you, or some of you, but it's hopefully food for thought.
There is a difference between being in a hurry and being productive, I think. Definitely something to keep an eye on, of course! Swapping an unhealthy fixation for a healthier one is a common tactic in recovery. I do not see anything wrong with that. It is a step in the journey, not the final destination. Learning not to fixate at all is the real challenge for an addict and may not even be entirely possible. Learning better coping mechanisms is a great help. We press on. Some days we just muddle through. God is good without fail.
Just read this today and thought it was quite fitting! https://www.morethanasundayfaith.com/2024/03/present-in-the-present/
Busyness for the purpose of avoiding self reflection or commitment to God seems like the point. If we don’t stop and calm down enough to listen to what the lord has to say, we will run out of fumes. Jesus often withdrew to the lonely places and prayed. Usually after some large miracle. Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline talks about Jesus’ practice and shows that it’s something we should be willing to do.
It's a complex subject. Another element is learning to say "no" and creating healthy boundaries for our time/attention. I haven't read the book either but it sounds interesting.
