Category: Satisfaction

Living an Unhurried Life

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Satisfaction, Walk in the Spirit1 Comment

     I have been living life hurriedly lately. My checklist is long, so I have been rushing from one task to another. Everything I must do is written down so I don’t miss something. These tasks are truly “musts”– Sunday school lessons that had to be distributed to teachers, assignments for a class, a deadline for a writing challenge. 

     Being pressed for time is a real issue. Recently, I went for a scheduled bone density scan and grabbed a pair of exercise tights just in case the metal zipper in my jeans would hamper the procedure. It didn’t, but the technician told me the scans were scheduled so tightly there was not enough time for patients to change clothing.

     So perhaps “piling on,” “over-scheduling,” living at a “fast pace” is a cultural phenomenon. We read about a balanced life but just haven’t quite figured out how to slow down. If we pause for a moment, we won’t achieve all we desire. But problems begin to emerge.

     We don’t sleep well because we have “too much mind.” Coffee with friends never occurs. We never write, read, or walk for pleasure. Instead, we do these activities with purpose. Micro-blogs must be posted on Instagram as part of a plan to attract readers, the experts say. Reading is for research, either to assess a publication to know how to pitch an article or to gather information for a piece. And walking is not for sun on your face or fresh air but to stay fit. (These are my examples, what are yours?)

     Our behavior not only impacts us but those around us. My husband accused me of half-listening. He said I would glance his way when he tried to talk but I wouldn’t stop what I was doing and give him my full attention. I mentally passed the blame to him for interrupting me. But when time is tight, everything that stops the momentum of a completed “to-do” list is an interruption.

     Then God spoke to me. The message was in a little booklet I left on the nightstand next to my bed. Sometimes I read a little before turning out the light, so I flipped randomly to a section one night. I learned there is a difference between being busy and being hurried. In our modern culture, we can’t avoid busyness, but being hurried is another matter.

     “Being hurried is an inner condition, a condition of the soul. It means to be so preoccupied with myself and my life that I am unable to be fully present with God, with myself, and with other people. I am unable to occupy this present moment,” wrote John Ortberg, the author of the booklet.1

     The x-ray technician was busy. I was hurried.

     Ortberg explained that being busy is an outward condition while being hurried is an inner condition. When we have a full schedule with lots of activities, we are reminded we need God. When we are absorbed in thought, unable to give our full attention to those around us because we are consumed with what we need to do, we become unavailable to God, according to Ortberg.

     Yes, I do make time for devotionals each morning, but reading the Bible can become another task to check off the list. I am not really listening to God, even though each word of the Bible is His voice.

     Busyness isn’t always a choice. We all have obligations. But hurriedness can be addressed. We can choose to be fully present. To stop and interact with the world around us. First with God and then with all those He puts in our life. We may have tasks on our to-do list that are a must, but we can resist becoming preoccupied by them.

©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

References:

  1. “You Have a Soul,” by John Ortberg. A pamphlet published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

3 Reasons to Pursue Rest

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Satisfaction, Soul CareLeave a comment

     I stepped out of my routine for a week traveling to Costa Rica with my sister. My laptop was left on my desk and I ceased all writing projects at whatever point of undone they happened to be. This included a social media challenge for the month of May. My last post from the calendar was May 22.

     This summer I am pursuing rest and this trip was the launching point.

     Packed in my bookbag were two books highlighting the theme. My church’s summer Bible study for women, “Rest for Your Soul” and “Rhythms of Rest, Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World.”1

     As my week at the Coast Beach Hotel in Tamarindo stretched before me I felt restless. My thought at home, flipping through the pages of a guidebook purchased at Barnes and Noble and scrolling the Internet, was to find a day tour that explored rainforests and put you in the vicinity of swinging bridges. Also, I was drawn to coffee plantations and roasters that would reveal the nuances of their beans.

     Afternoons on a chase lounge in a shaded area near the beach, succumbing to short naps, reading an entire chapter of a book without breaking to put clothes in the dryer seemed lackluster. Not an ingredient for adventure. Visits to national parks and plantations are educational, worthwhile, and experiential. But lessons about rest?

     Sabbath is mentioned frequently in books on rest. Yet it is not the required stepping away from work on the 7th day described in the Old Testament. In Christ, Christians can observe the Sabbath according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

     Got Questions Ministries explains—“Colossians 2:16 says, “Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.” Here “Sabbath day” refers to any Jewish holiday, including the seventh day of the week. The main point for the Christian is that we are no longer under the requirements of the Hebrew Law. We are under the law of grace. God’s law is now written on our hearts, and we are now a new creation.”2

     The Hebrew word for Sabbath rest provides insight into why it might be beneficial to all of us who are saved by grace through faith in Christ and not by works. [Ephes. 2:8] This word is sabat, which means “to rest or stop or cease from work.” When we rest from our labors, we realize that we don’t keep the earth spinning on its access. We are not capable of holding everything together by sustaining, providing, and solving problems. Only God has such ability and power and we need to abide rather than strive.

     Here are a few things about rest I have picked up from the books I am reading.

     –In busyness we miss a lot.

     The day before Father’s Day I volunteered to drive up and down a section of the course for a century bicycle ride looking for cyclists in distress. One rider failed to notice a stop sign at an intersection as he peddled with his head down, concentrating on the task at hand. He rode across a two-lane highway without looking for oncoming cars. Thankfully, there was no traffic when he darted across the roadway.

     What do we miss when we don’t take time to look up? It could be direction God is giving, or revelation about Himself, or a solution to a problem. Rest creates space apart from busyness and provides opportunity for new perspective.

     –Sabbath provides space between us and our problems.

     “When the mind is focused entirely on a problem, we lose sight of God’s place within it. We pit ourselves against all the details as if the problem is ours to conquer immediately,” writes Shelly Miller, author of Rhythms of Rest. Sabbath allows us to see the problem from God’s perspective, often with surprising results. Finding solutions is a form of busyness, she adds.

     –Spending focused time with God strengthens our relationship.

     I seem to live life focused on purpose. Therefore, I love, serve, write, create, build, encourage… do things I deem will make a difference, impact the world for good. But as I read about rhythms of rest the idea that God’s words aren’t just for discipline, they are filled with personal messages of love sticks firmly in my mind. God created us for a deep relationship with him. The best way to connect is in solitude without distractions.

     I don’t know where this pursuit of rest will lead. But it is my focus this summer. I will share my discoveries in future blogs.

©2024 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Image from Pixabay

Resources

1a-Rest for Your Soul, A Bible study on Solitude, Silence, & Prayer by Wendy Blight published by HarperChristian Resources in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

1b-Rhythms of Rest, Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World by Shelly Miller published by BethanyHouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

2-www.GotQuestions.org, Question: “Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?”

The Link Between Comparison and Covetousness

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn SatisfactionLeave a comment

When I became a writer, I expected the writing life to be one of endless hours of inspiration, typing words on paper to create articles, essays, and the pages of books. My desk would be placed in front of a window with a view, preferably of the ocean.

Where did I get my ideas of the writing life? Reading about the practices of published authors. Somewhere in the pages of a book written by Joan Didion I discovered she would take a break during the day to garden, but otherwise writing was not mixed with loads of laundry and dashing to the store for groceries. It was dedicated time. If I remember right, she would read passages to her husband, who was also a writer, to see if she had captured a feeling or clarified a point she was trying to make. Uninterrupted hours at my desk, this is what I wanted in my writing life.

Scrolling through photos of workspaces, I note my favorites. Roald Dahl had pictures and papers tacked to a bulletin board and scraps of art sketches on a wall. His desk seemed to be covered in small objects he collected, such as seashells, so he wrote seated in an overstuffed chair with a big board for a desk across his lap. E. B. White wrote at a small, wooden table next to a window that overlooked a lake. I like a good view of some sort, either scenic beauty out the window or created on walls with photos, paintings, and keepsakes.

I so easily slip into comparison, scrutinizing my schedule and workspace against those of famous authors. I want what they have.

We are told not to compare our writing with others, especially those more advanced. To think our work is “not as good” is harmful. We become discouraged and find it difficult to do our best writing as we look at our meager words next to the author we admire. But comparison can do much more than stifle creativity, it can plant seeds of envy in our heart. It can create a desire for the publishing accomplishments and recognition another author has achieved. We begin to covet the writing life of another.

We often think of covetousness in terms of possessions but it comes in many forms. Adam and Eve coveted God’s knowledge and Cain wanted the recognition his brother Abel received from God.

I think I mentioned before that I am studying the 10 commandments this summer. Number 10 addresses covetousness with this commandment.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17

The word “anything” comes at the end which makes a short list all-encompassing. I focused on writing, but the temptation to compare ourself to others comes with any endeavor. Musicians, graphic designers, athletes, mothers, teachers, architects, engineers, etc. can all be tempted to look at others and want their perceived success.

To follow this commandment we can learn, like Paul the Apostle, to be content in all circumstances. (Phil 4:10-13) We can do our best and know that it is enough. When we are satisfied with what God has ordained, we live the just right life.

©2023 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Let’s Talk:

1-When you are tempted to make comparisons what Scripture helps you avoid the behavior?

2-What does living satisfied look like? Offer a description.

Is it Possible to Live Satisfied?

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn SatisfactionLeave a comment

     Martin’s Nursery is open. Where I live this is a big deal. We get to plant flowers and vegetables making the drab, winter landscape vibrant. A trip to Martin’s is a rite of spring.

     Many make it an annual outing. I know a mother and daughter who meet there each year to pick plants for their gardens. They live in towns 120 miles apart. A friend and I often schedule a time to go together and then have lunch.

     My usual purchases include a big bucket tomato plant that is ready to produce (in the mountains I don’t have a lot of warm months to nurture a plant from a shoot), several annuals to fill pots, and a few perennials that return yearly after the snow melt.

     But this spring I hesitate. Snow, hardpacked and icy, still dominates my backyard measuring halfway up the fence. With planting uncertain, I am not sure I can keep plants healthy in my kitchen lugging them daily out front into the sunshine where the snow has receded.

     A friend gives reason to purchase. She texted to let me know she already shopped at Martin’s Nursery, afraid they would sell out if she waited too long.

     New to the area, she asked if it was okay to plant as soon as the snow melts. I texted- “Watch the weather reports. If the temperature is near freezing during the night cover your plants with a frost cloth.”

     Even with indoor options and frost cloths I have decided to wait. Take my chances. If the plants are gone at Martin’s I will look for them someplace else.

     This decision is unusual for me. I am driven by those whispers “You might miss out!” “It will be all gone.” “Get it while you can.” “Stock up so you don’t run out.” I am the hurry up type, not the laid-back type.

     Frankly I am not sure I will be able to live happily with only the perennials that return each year if I do miss out. Or with planter boxes filled with the plain petunias from Walmart. Will I be satisfied with less than what I am use to, what I expect?

     Satisfied—“pleased or content with what has been experienced or received.” (merriam-webster.com)

     The synonyms string together an enticing summation of such a state: blissful, glad, joyful, thankful, delighted, happy, pleased. These are all emotions I often strive to achieve.

     But I want to dig deeper. Look more closely at this state. See if satisfaction is only guaranteed when my yard is filled with blooms and hummingbirds swooping down to draw sweet nectar from my feeders.

     Looking back at that definition copied from the dictionary it seems like living satisfied is based on our perception of an experience or something we have received that meets our expectations. If this is so, satisfaction may be erratic.

     Or it may be a carrot on a string. Something we must work for, strive for, chase after. We work toward goals that promise bliss… a master’s degree, a vacation in the Cayman Islands, the completion of one more item on our bucket list, enough money to enjoy retirement, our dream home… If only we would reach these goals, then we would be satisfied.  

     I begin my exploration. Is it possible to live satisfied or is it only for fleeting moments of time? Is it a skill to learn? 

     My first test looms. I am taking my chances on Martin’s Nursery.

Let’s Talk:

1-Please share a circumstance that was less than satisfying and how you reacted. Have you gained any insight on how to address the circumstances that stirred dissatisfaction?

2-What scriptures does the Holy Spirit bring to mind when you become discontent?

©2023 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Image by Pexels at Pixabay