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Tranquility: Cultivating a Quiet Soul in a Busy World
There's never enough time. So we try to cram as much as possible into what little time we have--work, friends, play, rest. But what if How do I fit it all in? isn't the right question?Scripture has a lot to say about time. Taking a cue from Ecclesiastes--"Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind"--and drawing on everything from Augustine's Confessions to conversations with air traffic controllers, David W. Henderson encourages us to move beyond merely trying to open up a bit of margin or to say no once in a while, and to take a purposeful step back from our lives to examine those internal and external dynamics that propel us into busyness and hurry. Sharing honest stories about his own struggles with busyness, he helps readers explore the way the Scriptures frame our time--understanding the times, making the most of the time, and trusting God with the rest.For anyone who is tired of feeling the push and pull of our time-bent culture, this book will be a welcome invitation to rest and to live artful and faithful lives marked by peace and tranquility.
- GenresTheologyNonfiction
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
9 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
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David W. Henderson
5 books4 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 6, 2022
This book contains so much wisdom and many great metaphors related to time. The most impactful piece of wisdom is contained in the following excerpt from the book:
"In the early years of the Italian Renaissance, painters like Michelangelo were often commissioned to paint enormous murals. The best method they found was fresco painting, applying the colors right onto a wet plaster wall. The paint and the plaster dried together, preserving the crips, vivid colors.
But it wasn't possible to plaster and paint an entire wall in one day. All that could be done was one small part of the whole. If the artist was painting the background of a mural, he could possibly complete a stretch of wall ten feet by ten feet. But if he was working on the details of, say, a bouquet of pink gladiolas, he might work morning to night on a section no larger than a dinner plate.
So each morning, the painter mixed up a small bucket of plaster and then coated the portion of the wall that he believed he would be able to finish before the sun went down. And that small portion of the whole wall was called the giornatta, the 'day-piece,' the work that could be done in a day.
Isn't that a beautiful metaphor for the work of our days? Our lives are not the sum of our crowded to-do lists but great blank stretches of wall. And the Master Painter desires to take that space--the span of our three score years and ten--and transform it into a masterpiece. Some days he may want to do an expansive work, to work in and through us in momentous ways, leading us in such a way that broad strokes go out from our work of the day and touch dozens of others. Other days his interest may be in doing only a small, quiet work on our interior. The work is wholly his to determine.
This is our privilege and responsibility: to begin each day by relinquishing the brush to the Master, for the masterpiece is not ours to paint but his. That often leads me to lift up a prayer as dawn cracks open the sky and throws its colors against the world: Lord, what would you have of me today? My life belongs to you. Hold sway over me. Make me open to your Spirit and available for your purposes. Lead me today in my giornatta. I pray this for your sake and for your glory. Amen."
I had never thought about time and getting things done in this way. This painter metaphor helps me to reevaluate the importance of accomplishing many things in one day. Maybe it is not necessary to tackle a big to do list every day. I pray that I can keep this in mind as I set out to plan each day.
"In the early years of the Italian Renaissance, painters like Michelangelo were often commissioned to paint enormous murals. The best method they found was fresco painting, applying the colors right onto a wet plaster wall. The paint and the plaster dried together, preserving the crips, vivid colors.
But it wasn't possible to plaster and paint an entire wall in one day. All that could be done was one small part of the whole. If the artist was painting the background of a mural, he could possibly complete a stretch of wall ten feet by ten feet. But if he was working on the details of, say, a bouquet of pink gladiolas, he might work morning to night on a section no larger than a dinner plate.
So each morning, the painter mixed up a small bucket of plaster and then coated the portion of the wall that he believed he would be able to finish before the sun went down. And that small portion of the whole wall was called the giornatta, the 'day-piece,' the work that could be done in a day.
Isn't that a beautiful metaphor for the work of our days? Our lives are not the sum of our crowded to-do lists but great blank stretches of wall. And the Master Painter desires to take that space--the span of our three score years and ten--and transform it into a masterpiece. Some days he may want to do an expansive work, to work in and through us in momentous ways, leading us in such a way that broad strokes go out from our work of the day and touch dozens of others. Other days his interest may be in doing only a small, quiet work on our interior. The work is wholly his to determine.
This is our privilege and responsibility: to begin each day by relinquishing the brush to the Master, for the masterpiece is not ours to paint but his. That often leads me to lift up a prayer as dawn cracks open the sky and throws its colors against the world: Lord, what would you have of me today? My life belongs to you. Hold sway over me. Make me open to your Spirit and available for your purposes. Lead me today in my giornatta. I pray this for your sake and for your glory. Amen."
I had never thought about time and getting things done in this way. This painter metaphor helps me to reevaluate the importance of accomplishing many things in one day. Maybe it is not necessary to tackle a big to do list every day. I pray that I can keep this in mind as I set out to plan each day.
September 2, 2015
Tranquility: Cultivating a Quiet Soul in a Busy World (Baker Books, 2015) by David W Henderson addresses an important topic, the noisiness of life that too often invades our souls. On page 3, he introduced the book in this way: "Instead of asking, 'How do we manage time?' this book asks, 'How do we manage ourselves as people who are ever in time's flow?' It is about perspective and focus, yieldedness and willingness, quiet and silence, putting first the things that should be first, waiting and trusting and resting."
For those of us living in Western cultures, busyness defines much of our lives. We race from one task to the next, seemingly eager to fit yet more activity into schedules. In fact, it is arguable that not only does busyness define our lives, it is often viewed as a personal strength. Efficiency, something I have long prided myself on, is seen only for its benefits. We are encouraged to do more faster and better. But what if busyness damages us and our relationships? In the beginning of the book, Henderson explores with the reader some of the problems with hurry which range from relational to medical (i.e., the "Type A" personality).
In the remainder of the book, he explores ways in which we can begin to redeem time, not by becoming more efficient, but by quieting our souls. He helps the reader to see who we are in relation to God and others. He explores the biblical basis for sleep and rest, calling the reader to view the Sabbath as a gift.
On the whole, this is a readable, enjoyable and important addition to the growing spiritual formation literature. If you are someone who, like me, has struggled with quieting my soul, consider reading Tranquility.
I received a free copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for this review. I was not required to submit a positive review. The views expressed above are my own.
For those of us living in Western cultures, busyness defines much of our lives. We race from one task to the next, seemingly eager to fit yet more activity into schedules. In fact, it is arguable that not only does busyness define our lives, it is often viewed as a personal strength. Efficiency, something I have long prided myself on, is seen only for its benefits. We are encouraged to do more faster and better. But what if busyness damages us and our relationships? In the beginning of the book, Henderson explores with the reader some of the problems with hurry which range from relational to medical (i.e., the "Type A" personality).
In the remainder of the book, he explores ways in which we can begin to redeem time, not by becoming more efficient, but by quieting our souls. He helps the reader to see who we are in relation to God and others. He explores the biblical basis for sleep and rest, calling the reader to view the Sabbath as a gift.
On the whole, this is a readable, enjoyable and important addition to the growing spiritual formation literature. If you are someone who, like me, has struggled with quieting my soul, consider reading Tranquility.
I received a free copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for this review. I was not required to submit a positive review. The views expressed above are my own.
February 2, 2016
"Tranquility" by David W. Henderson is about slowing down to take the time to be with Christ and not with the business of life. This book really goes into details on not what to do but why we need to slow down our lives and focus on Christ. I really liked how the author points out that all our business in our society can be harmful spiritually besides physically. We have a tendency to think as American Christians if we are not constantly busy then we are sinning which is not true. No I am not advocating for pure laziness but we do need to slow down and take our time with the Lord. This book really encouraged me on that. I was very encouraged by this book even though at times I had a hard time picking it up to read for reason. I highly recommend this book to remind you to take time with Christ and life around you.
I was given this book from Baker Bakers for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.
I was given this book from Baker Bakers for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.
December 1, 2017
A good reminder on how to view our gift of time in view of God's overarching plan for life. A bit more theoretical than practical, and the author tends to wax poetic at times, but overall a good read and desperately needed in this age of hustle and bustle.
May 9, 2019
This is a fantastic book. Highly recommended. I have a feeling I will read it over and over again.
May 4, 2020
When the world seems to have halted, this book was a refreshing reminder of the importance of slowing down. Loved it!
November 29, 2023
So great. Will re-read for sure at some point.
December 29, 2015
Life is hectic. We are often over busy, internally wound-up and overextended. Just writing that last sentence stresses me out. Pastor David Henderson wrote an earlier book called Culture Shift (Baker Books, 1998) when evangelical Christians were still trying to be relevant to postmodernists. In Tranquility: Cultivating A Quiet Soul in a Busy World, Henderson addresses the angst, stress, and our prevailing sense of 9780801003219never-having enough time.
Henderson's book is divided into several sections. After a brief introduction which contrasts our parceled out time (chronos) with God's time (kairos), Henderson retells the rich-young-ruler story (Mark 10:17-31), rechristened here as 'the busy young ruler.'
Part one, Two Hand Fulls of Toil And Chasing After the Wind, is diagnostic. Henderson describes how our experience of time keeps us going at our frenetic pace, "Our culture breeds unceasing motion. There is always something else to do. We need, we want, we crave more time" (13). He describes our crazy-busy existence and overbooked lives and explores how industrialization has changed our idea of time and what time matters (i.e. the authority given to our workplace). And yet below the surface we deal with an inner hurricane--the experience of being always connected but never getting away, overextended and anxious and on entertainment overload. Henderson proposes a tranquility solution: "Do what God wants you to do and trust him with the rest "(54).
The rest of the book unpacks his tranquility solution. Where chronos has made us obsessed with time management and productivity, kairos opens up for us to encounter God (67). This doesn't mean that we don't manage our time, make the most of our time, take care not to waste our time, etc. It means that we cultivate an awareness of God and his priorities within our time. Part two, One Handful With Tranquility, divides into three subsections. In chapters six through ten, the section 'While there is time,' Henderson helps us to cultivate mindfulness: to where God is at work in time, to the trajectory of all time in God, our own mortality, and how to keep God our focal point.
In the next subsection, 'Making the Most of Time,' Henderson points us to invest ourselves and time in things that matter. We live in the time between Christ's comings and therefore ought to live in light of eternity and invest ourselves in Kingdom mission now. Secondly we ought to use our time to invest in relationships (which are inherently inefficient), especially in cultivating our prayer life with God. In the final subsection, "Trusting God with the Rest" describes the rhythms of rest and activity which ought to mark our lives. This includes times for silence and solitude, Sabbath, and daily rest.
This is a really good book. Henderson doesn't talk about 'communicating to the postmodern mindset' as he did in Culture Shift, he practices the principles he laid out there. He describes our culture, and recaptures it with the biblical story and offers hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He focuses on the experience of busyiness and proclaims a gospel of tranquility and mindfulness (two words borrowed directly from Buddhism and New Age Spiritualism but here loaded with Christian content).
I appreciated his full-orbed description of time. He isn't content to simply say stop being crazy busy. He acknowledges there are good reasons to be un-rested and over busy (new baby with sleepless nights, a personal crisis, caring for someone in need, etc) but he points us away from needlessly stuffing our schedule with activity for activity's sake. Instead he helps us to consider God's purposes for our time and for us in time. T I give this four stars.
Note I received this book from Baker Books in exchange for my honest review.
Henderson's book is divided into several sections. After a brief introduction which contrasts our parceled out time (chronos) with God's time (kairos), Henderson retells the rich-young-ruler story (Mark 10:17-31), rechristened here as 'the busy young ruler.'
Part one, Two Hand Fulls of Toil And Chasing After the Wind, is diagnostic. Henderson describes how our experience of time keeps us going at our frenetic pace, "Our culture breeds unceasing motion. There is always something else to do. We need, we want, we crave more time" (13). He describes our crazy-busy existence and overbooked lives and explores how industrialization has changed our idea of time and what time matters (i.e. the authority given to our workplace). And yet below the surface we deal with an inner hurricane--the experience of being always connected but never getting away, overextended and anxious and on entertainment overload. Henderson proposes a tranquility solution: "Do what God wants you to do and trust him with the rest "(54).
The rest of the book unpacks his tranquility solution. Where chronos has made us obsessed with time management and productivity, kairos opens up for us to encounter God (67). This doesn't mean that we don't manage our time, make the most of our time, take care not to waste our time, etc. It means that we cultivate an awareness of God and his priorities within our time. Part two, One Handful With Tranquility, divides into three subsections. In chapters six through ten, the section 'While there is time,' Henderson helps us to cultivate mindfulness: to where God is at work in time, to the trajectory of all time in God, our own mortality, and how to keep God our focal point.
In the next subsection, 'Making the Most of Time,' Henderson points us to invest ourselves and time in things that matter. We live in the time between Christ's comings and therefore ought to live in light of eternity and invest ourselves in Kingdom mission now. Secondly we ought to use our time to invest in relationships (which are inherently inefficient), especially in cultivating our prayer life with God. In the final subsection, "Trusting God with the Rest" describes the rhythms of rest and activity which ought to mark our lives. This includes times for silence and solitude, Sabbath, and daily rest.
This is a really good book. Henderson doesn't talk about 'communicating to the postmodern mindset' as he did in Culture Shift, he practices the principles he laid out there. He describes our culture, and recaptures it with the biblical story and offers hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He focuses on the experience of busyiness and proclaims a gospel of tranquility and mindfulness (two words borrowed directly from Buddhism and New Age Spiritualism but here loaded with Christian content).
I appreciated his full-orbed description of time. He isn't content to simply say stop being crazy busy. He acknowledges there are good reasons to be un-rested and over busy (new baby with sleepless nights, a personal crisis, caring for someone in need, etc) but he points us away from needlessly stuffing our schedule with activity for activity's sake. Instead he helps us to consider God's purposes for our time and for us in time. T I give this four stars.
Note I received this book from Baker Books in exchange for my honest review.
September 8, 2015
David Henderson’s book offers a new take on the classic principles described in Hummel’s Tyranny of the Urgent! and Swenson’s Margin. Tranquility takes its title from Ecclesiastes 4:6:
Better one handful with tranquility
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind. (NIV)
In other words, we have to make choices. A limited amount of time forces us to admit we can’t do it all and to choose what we will do with life.
Henderson reminds us—through practical chapters more about the topic of time than tranquility—that finding contentment in where God has us offers a more satisfying and obedient life than chasing after a thousand different opportunities. Tranquility: Cultivating a Quiet Soul in a Busy World is about choosing priorities in the use of our time.
My favorite quote in the book (p. 53) applies this principle in the realm of relationships:
"Relationships are inherently inefficient. All involve spending lots of time just being together—not accomplishing something. God’s refining work in us–such as the forming of patience, endurance, and perseverance—also offers no immediate payback. Yet these things keep coming up in Scripture as valuable, even if they are born of 'wasted' time."
If you’d like a new look on some tried-and-true principles, you’ll find Tranquility worth your time.
Better one handful with tranquility
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind. (NIV)
In other words, we have to make choices. A limited amount of time forces us to admit we can’t do it all and to choose what we will do with life.
Henderson reminds us—through practical chapters more about the topic of time than tranquility—that finding contentment in where God has us offers a more satisfying and obedient life than chasing after a thousand different opportunities. Tranquility: Cultivating a Quiet Soul in a Busy World is about choosing priorities in the use of our time.
My favorite quote in the book (p. 53) applies this principle in the realm of relationships:
"Relationships are inherently inefficient. All involve spending lots of time just being together—not accomplishing something. God’s refining work in us–such as the forming of patience, endurance, and perseverance—also offers no immediate payback. Yet these things keep coming up in Scripture as valuable, even if they are born of 'wasted' time."
If you’d like a new look on some tried-and-true principles, you’ll find Tranquility worth your time.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews