Busyness isn’t just expected in our culture. It’s championed. Rest is a sign of laziness. Look up the word “slow” in the dictionary. Synonyms include: plodding, sluggish and lead-footed.
But it’s time to start asking the question, “Is our busyness leading to more fruitfulness?” I think the answer is no.
A life of rhythm doesn’t try to keep up with the pace of the culture. In fact, the opposite is true. Rhythm tells us to slow down.
The late Dallas Willard was once asked to describe Jesus in one word. His answer: RELAXED. What?! Of all the words one of the greatest philosophers of our generation could ascribe to Jesus, he chose “relaxed”?
Relaxed sounds too much like slow to me. But maybe Dallas Willard has touched on something profound. Look at the life of Jesus. He was never hurried. He never seemed overwhelmed. In a few years, Jesus accomplished what none of us have … he changed the world.
The world doesn’t need busier people. The world needs more efficient people.
6.) Rhythm focuses on who you are BECOMING. Balance focuses on what you are DOING.
Don’t be a do person, be a be person. You are not a human doing, you are a human being. Matthew Kelly
A life of balance doesn’t have time to consider who we are becoming. It’s all about doing. Do. Do. Do. This is why a balanced life is a dangerous life. There is no space to ask the deeper questions. “Why am I here? What is my purpose? Where am I going? What is my identity?”
These questions are the essence of rhythm. Rhythm says it is more important that we model the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) than become CEO. Rhythm says the desires of our heart are more valuable than the achievements in our life. Rhythm says it is more important to increase in gratitude, love and selflessness than wealth, trinkets and followings.
Rhythm says the desires of your heart are more valuable than the achievements in your life
A life focused on who we are becoming produces meaning and impact. This lifestyle is desperately needed in a culture bathed with purposelessness.
7.) Rhythm sees time through the lens of OPPORTUNITY. Balance see time through the lens of HOURS, MINUTES and SECONDS.
The Bible details two different ways to view time. One is chronos. This is the traditional way of viewing time. It is time in terms of days, hours, etc. A balanced life sees time this way. Every hour is important because every task needs to be completed.
The second way to see time is through the lens of opportunity. This is called kairos. Kairos doesn’t look at the world through an hourglass or a time clock. This type of time teaches us to look for opportunities and take advantage of them. Kairos is the foundation for a life of rhythm. It is God’s dimension of time.
Every second isn’t created equal. Great leaders understand this. Yes, every second shapes our life. But only a handful of moments define our journey. Rhythm looks for opportunities to peek around the corner at eternity. Those opportunities can be anywhere. Work. Store. Church. Coffee shop.
And when they come, rhythm gives us space to step into them. A meaningful life isn’t found by viewing life through a time clock. It is found by viewing life through God’s clock. A clock marked by anticipation and opportunities, not minutes and hours.
8.) Rhythm makes us GIVERS. Balance makes us TAKERS.
If you had one word to describe God, what word would you use? Love? Mercy? Holy? All of those describe God. Fair enough. But I want to propose another word … GIVER. We can debate whether or not this is the definitive characteristic of God. But in a gluttonous culture of habitual takers (of which I am the worst), I don’t believe there is a more valuable quality to understand and model.
God always gives. Always. He never takes. Not from creation. Not from humans. And here’s the thing about God. He always gives, and he is never in need.
