Present & Grounded: Letting Go of Hurry in a Busy World

Present & Grounded: Letting Go of Hurry in a Busy World

This past Sunday at Crossbridge Pinecrest, my pastor, Pastor Marcus, preached a message from Hebrews 4 that felt uncomfortably on point.

The sermon is part of the Hold Fast series, and the focus was rest — not the “I got enough sleep” kind, but the deeper mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion so many of us are quietly carrying.

And honestly, I needed it.

The rush is always there

Living in Miami, the pace is relentless. There’s always something happening, somewhere to be, something to keep up with. Even when life is good, the rush whispers constantly: hurry, don’t fall behind.

This year, my words are present and grounded, because I’m intentionally working on not letting that rush cause me to miss my real life — my family, my friends, and the moments that actually matter.

The question that stopped me

During the message, Pastor Marcus asked two questions that lingered long after Sunday:

What are you running from?
What are you running to — thinking it will finally give you rest?

That hit. Because “busy” can be a sneaky disguise. Staying in motion keeps us from slowing down long enough to feel what’s underneath.

Hebrews 4, in real life

Hebrews 4 reminds us that rest isn’t something we earn — it’s something we enter.

One of the most convicting takeaways from the sermon was this idea:
we can believe all the right things and still live like everything depends on us.

That tension — between faith and control — is exhausting.

Pastor Marcus shared an image I can’t shake: living like the night watchman of a house that’s already been paid for. The keys are ours, the deed is secure… yet we’re gripping the door handle anyway, afraid to rest.

Rest isn’t a strategy — it’s a relationship

The message kept circling back to this truth: Jesus doesn’t just teach rest — He is rest.

Which reframed things for me in a simple but powerful way:

Maybe the reason we’re so tired isn’t just because life is hard (it is),
but because we’re trying to guard what God already secured.

What I’m practicing this year

I’m not chasing a perfectly calm life. I’m practicing presence inside the life I already have:

• slowing down enough to actually be here

• choosing connection over constant productivity

• loosening my grip on control

• remembering I don’t have to carry everything alone

Being present and grounded isn’t a vibe — it’s a choice I’m making daily, imperfectly.

One line I’m taking with me

If I had to sum up the sermon in one sentence, it would be this:

Rest begins when we stop trying to save ourselves.

If you’d like to watch the sermon that inspired this reflection, you can find it here:

👉 Finding Rest When Life Feels Overwhelming — Pastor Marcus, Crossbridge Pinecrest

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