From fast food restaurants to Amazon Prime two-day shipping, we live in a world that wants everything at our fingertips without exerting much effort. Scrolling on social media platforms gives us instant gratification that drives our daily lives now. Entertainment apps like TikTok and Instagram don’t require much brain power to enjoy, so we find ourselves stuck on these apps for hours. It doesn’t help that our feed is personalized to our individual algorithms which allows us to see content tailored to us. This never-ending cycle of entertainment gives us temporary gratification that we can’t seem to escape. To aid our minds, fingertips, and lifestyles, we must find healthier ways to entertain ourselves by slowing down our society.
“The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,” written by Mark Comer, describes that society’s flaw is hurriedness. We run through life in such a hurry that we forget how to be still and have real peace. Comer compares our current lives to the different lifestyle of Jesus. He states, “Hurry is incompatible with the way of Jesus. The love, joy, and peace that form the nucleus of Jesus’s kingdom are all impossible in a life of speed.” Looking into Jesus’ life here on earth, we can see that Jesus was not always in a rush to heal the sick, feed the five thousand, or die on the cross. Jesus took time for each individual person he healed and didn’t rush through his encounters with people. He was intimate with each stranger and connected with them face to face.
Comer points out that “what you give your attention to is the person you become. Put another way: the mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to.” Applying this to social media, work, and school, if we put lots of time, effort, and attention into these things, then we become more like the content we consume. That can soon take over our personality and character. As mentioned before, Jesus focused on a life of helping others, which can be reflected in his character and love for everyone. To sum it all up, Mark Comer writes that “the solution to an overbusy life is not more time. It’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what really matters.”
How do we slow down then? Mark Comer describes the importance of nature and the peace that it brings to the mind, soul, and body. Nature allows us to slow down because of its peacefulness, tranquility, and fresh air. Going outsidestimulates our senses and connects us more deeply to God. Some other ways that we can slow down our lives, especially our social media habits, include creating new social media habits, either by spending less time on them or completely deleting the apps, and focusing on things that will give us better satisfaction. We need to channel our attention to the things that are more important to us, like family and friends. In a world driven by instant gratification and constant stimulation, Mark Comer’s insights remind us to pause, breathe, and embrace the beauty of stillness. By prioritizing nature, nurturing meaningful connections, and reevaluating our digital habits, we can reclaim our lives from the tumult of hurrying and cultivate a more fulfilling existence rooted in what truly matters.
“Reminder: Your phone doesn’t actually work for you. You pay for it, yes. But it works for a multibillion-dollar corporation in California, not for you. You’re not the customer; you're the product. It’s your attention that’s for sale, along with your peace of mind.” - Mark Comer, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.