Stop Rushing Everything in Business – Part 1: Slowing Down Like Jesus

I can’t tell you how many of my tasks are overdue. You wouldn’t believe how many things are on my plate to get out. I’m not even sure how many balls are on my side of the court that are holding initiatives in my business up.

I have campaigns to launch, client deadlines to meet, new business opportunities to create plans for, and prospects to follow up with.

Oh, and not to mention, I have a personal life – you know… a wife, kids, working out, friends, and all of that.

And I forgot – I have a spiritual life that, at times, takes a back seat to all of the other priorities and deadlines I have to meet.

And putting God on the back-burner is precisely the problem with the hurry and rush of being a business owner.

All of us Christian entrepreneurs have an enemy in our life that wants to rob our businesses blind. This enemy disguises himself to steal our love, our joy, and our peace.

If this enemy can distract us long enough, we can all-together forget about leading a God-First business.

The enemy is RUSH.

I’ve heard it said before that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. Busyness in business causes almost everything to be in “rush mode". Rushing is precisely where the enemy gets us to fail because it cuts off our relationship with God, other people, and our own Spirit.

The ruthless elimination of rush will be one of the most significant challenges and accomplishments a Godpreneur can tackle so that the journey isn’t as burdensome as it feels right now.

But how can we eliminate rush when people are relying on us, the bank accounts don’t just fill themselves up, and millions of our dreams still haven’t come to fruition?

How can we slow down enough to lead emotionally rich and spiritually healthy and vibrant business lives?

One of my favorite illustrations of the “chill” nature of Jesus was when a synagogue leader tells Jesus that his daughter had just died, and to come and lay hands on her so she could be revived. Jesus got up and started heading toward the leader’s house, but not before helping someone else on the way there.

The story goes:

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

Just then, a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (Matthew 9:18‭-‬26 NIV)

What if Jesus would have RUSHED to the leader’s house? Certainly, someone’s death would qualify as a “rush job,” right? When an ambulance responds to an emergency, traffic moves aside, cars stop, and the petal is to the floor to react as fast as possible.

And yet Jesus had the confidence about his Spirit that made it seem like even saving a little girl’s life can be done in a calm, cool, and collected way.