In Chapter 5 (“An Unhurried Life”) of The Life You’ve Always Wanted, author John Ortberg states that hurried people cannot love and are afflicted with what writer Lewis Grant terms “sunset fatigue”. When hurried people come home exhausted after a long day at work, the people who need their love the most wind up getting the leftovers. Similarly, the emotional and spiritual devastation following our ministry downsizing or position loss saps our vitality, impacting those we hold most dear.
How do you know if “sunset fatigue” has set in? Lewis Grant lists the following characteristics:
1. You find yourself rushing even when you have no reason to hurry.
2. There’s an underlying tension causing sharp words or quarrels.
3. You sense a loss of gratitude and wonder.
4. You indulge in self-destructive escapes from fatigue such as watching too much TV or substance abuse.
To counteract “sunset fatigue” and hurriedness requires a spiritual discipline consisting of slowing down and times of solitude. As we allow Jesus to lead us, the rest we find in Him will enable us to receive love from the Father and give love to those closest to us.
