Recovering Prayerful Presence in a Hurry-Sick World

Blog by Alan Fadling

In 1950, Leonard Boase wrote, “It is the unrelenting pressure of hurry . . . a thousand and one other prickles make up the hair-shirt of present-day existence. Hence our desperate need in approaching prayer is first of all a relaxing of nervous tension” (The Prayer of Faith, p. 55). Seventy-five years later, his words still ring true—perhaps more urgently than ever. Talk of “prickles” and “hair-shirts” may sound archaic, but the experience is not. In many ways, our current digital age only intensifies the relentless pressure he describes.

Hurry is not merely a modern phenomenon but a deeply ingrained human dilemma. It’s easy to romanticize the past, to imagine that simpler times were somehow immune to the inner strain of urgency. Yet, Boase reminds us that this struggle is part of the human condition. Our technologies may have changed, but our souls have not. We are still prone to the illusion that if we just do a little more, go a little faster, we can live fuller and lead better.

This struggle is particularly acute for those of us called to spiritual leadership. The paradox is sobering: the very practices meant to deepen our intimacy with God often become casualties of our hurried pace. We may skim Scripture the way we skim social media feeds. We can treat prayer like a pit stop rather than a place of unhurried renewal. Instead of abiding in Christ, we anxiously produce, forgetting that the fruit of ministry is meant to be the overflow of a well-tended soul.

As leaders, we are invited to take seriously our role as stewards of our own spiritual health. If we ignore the signs of hurry sickness within us—frantic multitasking, shallow thinking, and constant distraction—we risk becoming more like CEOs managing a spiritual enterprise than shepherds guiding God’s people. Our congregations and communities need more than efficient leaders; they need attentive ones, those who model a life deeply rooted in God’s presence.

What would it look like to reclaim prayer as a sanctuary from hurry? Boase’s suggestion is disarmingly simple: begin by relaxing nervous tension. Rather than forcing ourselves into a state of prayer, we release our need to achieve anything at all. This initial act of surrender is a gentle reminder that prayer is not about getting things done but about being present with the One who loves us beyond measure.

For those of us who have spent too much time rushing from one task to the next, it’s worth pausing to ask: What are we afraid might happen if we slow down? How we answer that question may reveal a fear of losing control, of not measuring up, or of missing out. Bringing these fears into prayer—into the presence of God—can be a transformative first step toward healing our addiction to speed.

God is not in a hurry. Why, then, are we? When we slow our pace, we open up the possibility of encountering the God who is always present, always patient, always waiting. In prayerful stillness, we recover the capacity to lead not out of anxiety but out of a deep, unhurried trust in the Spirit’s work.

Reflection Questions: 

1. What habits or mindsets keep you caught in a cycle of hurry and pressure? How might you begin to release them in prayer?
2. How could you reclaim your daily rhythms to cultivate a slower, more attentive posture before God and others?