Gary Holloway’s latest book, “You Might Be Too Busy If…Spiritual Practices for People in a Hurry” (Leafwood Publishers, 2009), is based on this premise: “…the biggest threat to our relationship with God and the biggest barrier to our quality of life is not immorality or secularism or humanism but simply this: we are too busy.” (8)
Holloway urges us to deal with this barrier by engaging in four practices found in the life of Jesus: solitude, simplicity, Sabbath, and service.
In chapters 10-11 Holloway explores service. Solitude, simplicity, and service are meant to lead us to become more fruitful in our service to God. Sadly, service is often part of the hurried and exhausting pace of life. Holloway, however, urges us to practice “restful” service in which “the serving Christ [is] in control of us.” (99) It is important to serve for the right reasons–NOT for the applause of others or because we want to take control of others or because we want to fix others. These are substitutes for genuine service.
Ultimately, Holloway writes, “We are asked not to serve for him, but with him.” (105) This kind of service flows out of prayer, is focused on little acts of service, and is done in ways consistent with our gifting from God.
