For the past twenty years has stood as a classic on prayer, helping Christians all over the world slow down to draw near to God. During those years, the world certainly hasn't slowed down. If anything, the pace, intensity and number of distractions have only increased. Brokenness and pain seem to have increased as well, with news of civil war, poverty, broken families and sex-trafficking touching us daily. The urgent need for prayer is clear, but busyness still keeps many of us from finding time to pray. Two truths changed in twenty years: God is the same powerful, just, holy God he's always been; and true prayer--prayer that changes us and allows us to participate in God's work in the world--can't happen on the fly. So Bill Hybels once again offers us his practical, time-tested ideas on slowing down to pray. Revised throughout and including a new introduction and new chapter on prayer and compassion for the world, this twentieth-anniversary edition of calls both young and old to make prayer a priority, and broadens our vision for what our eternal, powerful God does when his people slow down to pray.
Too Busy Not to Pray
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"A practical guide." (BTS Booklist,)
"The most helpful book on Prayer that I have read." (The Good BookStall)
"Everyone learns from models, and Bill Hybels not only shows how he prays but also helps us understand prayer. We are busy and we are getting busier! In Too Busy Not to Pray, you'll not only be inspired, but you'll have a guidebook for prayer for the rest of your life!" (Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life)
"You cannot read this book without praying more, and praying better. It is thoughtful, clear, compelling and challenging--Bill at his best!" (John Ortberg, pastor and author, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church)
"The most helpful book on Prayer that I have read." (The Good BookStall)
"Everyone learns from models, and Bill Hybels not only shows how he prays but also helps us understand prayer. We are busy and we are getting busier! In Too Busy Not to Pray, you'll not only be inspired, but you'll have a guidebook for prayer for the rest of your life!" (Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life)
"You cannot read this book without praying more, and praying better. It is thoughtful, clear, compelling and challenging--Bill at his best!" (John Ortberg, pastor and author, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church)
About the Author
Bill Hybels is founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago suburbs, where over 15,000 attend each weekend. He has written a number of books, including Honest to God, Becoming a Contagious Christian, Making Life Work, Too Busy Not to Pray, Just Walk Across the Room, Holy Discontent, Courageous Leadership and Who You Are When No One's Looking.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book "Too Busy Not To Pray" by Pastor Bill Hybels is a great book that everyone should read. I am a Pastor as well and our Men's Minstry used it for a study. We loved it so much we went through it a 2nd time. It's funny how so many things Pastor Hybels wrote about 20 years ago in the book still ring true today. The tips he gives to help with our prayer life and the insight he passes on to us are spectactular. I would recommend this book to ANYONE.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
(2nd edition, InterVarsity Press, 1998.)
In his usual relevant, personal style, Bill Hybels promotes a practical look at the discipline of prayer in a believer's life. This is not simply a truth he teaches but one he has personally applied. We can desire his results when he says "the greatest thrill has been the qualitative difference in my relationship with God" (11). We can relate to his struggles when he readily admits that "the real reason my prayers were weak was that my faith was weak" (31). We can begin to follow his journey into a life of prayer by considering his take on re-ordering life - "We just cannot grow with no structure, no sense of intentionality about our spiritual life, any more than we can lower our body fat or develop good muscle tone or increase our net worth by just sitting back and waiting for whatever happens" (44). Too Busy Not to Pray would be a helpful beginning for some while it might be too light for others.
In terms of weaknesses, we can consider the loose biblical support for this look at prayer. As an example, Hybels begins his journey with a very exciting look at the newly rescued Hebrews and their battle with Amalek. Hybels is not alone in his interpretation of this text as one supporting prayer, but many theologians would disagree. In Exodus 17, Moses raises his staff, and Joshua wins. When his arms are lowered, the Hebrews struggle. Two come alongside to hold up Moses' arms and thus the staff to ensure the win for the Hebrews. Nowhere in this text does Moses mouth words of prayer, nor do we see any evidence later of this being an instance of prayer. It is a beautiful picture of God's power and protection ("The LORD is my banner"), but it does not adequately fit a foundational text on prayer. Yet Hybels suggests that "Moses discovered that day that God's prevailing power is released through prayer" (15).
Another difficulty with the book is the, perhaps, overemphasis of blessings or results from prayer. Hybels suggests that "Prayer is the key to unlocking God's prevailing power in your life" (16). As a result, he uses the first half of his work to focus more on blessings from prayer as opposed to sacrifice. He gets to that point later when he speaks candidly about time and priority, but it left something to be desired to show the sense of humility and sacrifice apparent in the prayerful life. While it is true that "when we make a habit of prayer, we stay constantly tuned to God's presence and open to receive his blessings" (43); we must also be aware that prayer is done with God's best in mind as opposed to our hopeful rewards for speaking with Him.
Hybels also offers a look at The Lord's Prayer in Chapters 5 & 6. It is helpful in that it encourages a time set aside for prayer as well as considering the pattern present in Jesus' words. However, Hybels treats this too much like a formula for receiving the above-mentioned blessings. "Once I've worshiped God , confessed my sins, and given thanks, it's okay for me to take our my shopping list" (72). Later he states: "Nothing motivates people to develop their prayer lives more than unanswered prayers. And once the prayer busters are dealt with and dispatched, the way is clear for God to answer one prayer after another" (109). This would surely be an encouragement to young believers to enter a life of prayer, but it also does not provide a biblically balanced perspective that would serve as a foundation for the Christian life. Hybels deals shortly with unanswered prayer, and he admits this will be a great, unexplained struggle for the believer. Perhaps considering Jesus' prayer inGethsemanewould be helpful here in our sacrificial obedience to the Lord's will as opposed to an over-emphasized importance on getting our needs and wants met.
On the other hand, Hybels practically and masterfully works through the idea of his subtitle in the final chapters of the book. As we enter the prayerful life, there is a real important for slowing down to be with God. Hybels suggests that "prayer needs to be part of the rhythm of our daily lives" (115). This step in spiritual growth is a process, or, as Hybels states: "It is a walk - a supernatural walk with a living, dynamic, communicating God. Thus the heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God's voice and developing the courage to do what he tells us to do" (125). The genius of this book is in these final chapters. For here, Hybels cuts us to the quick when he states that "any way you cut it, a key ingredient in authentic Christianity is time. Not leftover time, not throwaway time, but quality time. Time for contemplation, meditation and reflection. Unhurried, uninterrupted time" (126). He even offers immediate, practical steps to beginning this life. For example: "Suppose that right after reading this chapter you put down the book and quiet your spirit before God. You wait until you are focused on him, and then you say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening' (1 Samuel 3:9). In the solitude and stillness, what might God say to you?" (149).
Another strength is in his three "tests" for our prayers. He encourages the reader to ask whether our prayers are consistent with Scripture, consistent with our gifting, and whether they promote servanthood or self. These are helpful points with which we can grasp and apply to our lives right away as we enter into a life marked by prayer. The focus of Hybels life is shown through this writing in that "faith comes from looking at God, not at the mountain" (76). It is evident that Hybels has a concern for people and a love for God's Word. He attests to this in giving a personal illustration of how he reads through Scripture: "I read and reread all those stories about God's power over nature until once again I was convinced that they really happened in history" (33).
For someone looking to grow in the area of prayer, Too Busy Not to Pray would be a practical guide if read alongside a classical, theological work on prayer to provide a balanced perspective. Again, we would all do well to consider the last half of this book and seek to make immediate applications. However if we are seeking a deep, biblical understanding of prayer, we might do well to seek elsewhere.
In his usual relevant, personal style, Bill Hybels promotes a practical look at the discipline of prayer in a believer's life. This is not simply a truth he teaches but one he has personally applied. We can desire his results when he says "the greatest thrill has been the qualitative difference in my relationship with God" (11). We can relate to his struggles when he readily admits that "the real reason my prayers were weak was that my faith was weak" (31). We can begin to follow his journey into a life of prayer by considering his take on re-ordering life - "We just cannot grow with no structure, no sense of intentionality about our spiritual life, any more than we can lower our body fat or develop good muscle tone or increase our net worth by just sitting back and waiting for whatever happens" (44). Too Busy Not to Pray would be a helpful beginning for some while it might be too light for others.
In terms of weaknesses, we can consider the loose biblical support for this look at prayer. As an example, Hybels begins his journey with a very exciting look at the newly rescued Hebrews and their battle with Amalek. Hybels is not alone in his interpretation of this text as one supporting prayer, but many theologians would disagree. In Exodus 17, Moses raises his staff, and Joshua wins. When his arms are lowered, the Hebrews struggle. Two come alongside to hold up Moses' arms and thus the staff to ensure the win for the Hebrews. Nowhere in this text does Moses mouth words of prayer, nor do we see any evidence later of this being an instance of prayer. It is a beautiful picture of God's power and protection ("The LORD is my banner"), but it does not adequately fit a foundational text on prayer. Yet Hybels suggests that "Moses discovered that day that God's prevailing power is released through prayer" (15).
Another difficulty with the book is the, perhaps, overemphasis of blessings or results from prayer. Hybels suggests that "Prayer is the key to unlocking God's prevailing power in your life" (16). As a result, he uses the first half of his work to focus more on blessings from prayer as opposed to sacrifice. He gets to that point later when he speaks candidly about time and priority, but it left something to be desired to show the sense of humility and sacrifice apparent in the prayerful life. While it is true that "when we make a habit of prayer, we stay constantly tuned to God's presence and open to receive his blessings" (43); we must also be aware that prayer is done with God's best in mind as opposed to our hopeful rewards for speaking with Him.
Hybels also offers a look at The Lord's Prayer in Chapters 5 & 6. It is helpful in that it encourages a time set aside for prayer as well as considering the pattern present in Jesus' words. However, Hybels treats this too much like a formula for receiving the above-mentioned blessings. "Once I've worshiped God , confessed my sins, and given thanks, it's okay for me to take our my shopping list" (72). Later he states: "Nothing motivates people to develop their prayer lives more than unanswered prayers. And once the prayer busters are dealt with and dispatched, the way is clear for God to answer one prayer after another" (109). This would surely be an encouragement to young believers to enter a life of prayer, but it also does not provide a biblically balanced perspective that would serve as a foundation for the Christian life. Hybels deals shortly with unanswered prayer, and he admits this will be a great, unexplained struggle for the believer. Perhaps considering Jesus' prayer inGethsemanewould be helpful here in our sacrificial obedience to the Lord's will as opposed to an over-emphasized importance on getting our needs and wants met.
On the other hand, Hybels practically and masterfully works through the idea of his subtitle in the final chapters of the book. As we enter the prayerful life, there is a real important for slowing down to be with God. Hybels suggests that "prayer needs to be part of the rhythm of our daily lives" (115). This step in spiritual growth is a process, or, as Hybels states: "It is a walk - a supernatural walk with a living, dynamic, communicating God. Thus the heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God's voice and developing the courage to do what he tells us to do" (125). The genius of this book is in these final chapters. For here, Hybels cuts us to the quick when he states that "any way you cut it, a key ingredient in authentic Christianity is time. Not leftover time, not throwaway time, but quality time. Time for contemplation, meditation and reflection. Unhurried, uninterrupted time" (126). He even offers immediate, practical steps to beginning this life. For example: "Suppose that right after reading this chapter you put down the book and quiet your spirit before God. You wait until you are focused on him, and then you say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening' (1 Samuel 3:9). In the solitude and stillness, what might God say to you?" (149).
Another strength is in his three "tests" for our prayers. He encourages the reader to ask whether our prayers are consistent with Scripture, consistent with our gifting, and whether they promote servanthood or self. These are helpful points with which we can grasp and apply to our lives right away as we enter into a life marked by prayer. The focus of Hybels life is shown through this writing in that "faith comes from looking at God, not at the mountain" (76). It is evident that Hybels has a concern for people and a love for God's Word. He attests to this in giving a personal illustration of how he reads through Scripture: "I read and reread all those stories about God's power over nature until once again I was convinced that they really happened in history" (33).
For someone looking to grow in the area of prayer, Too Busy Not to Pray would be a practical guide if read alongside a classical, theological work on prayer to provide a balanced perspective. Again, we would all do well to consider the last half of this book and seek to make immediate applications. However if we are seeking a deep, biblical understanding of prayer, we might do well to seek elsewhere.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was my first experience reading Bill Hybel's work and it won't be my last. While his writing style is not as engaging to me as that of a Max Lucado or Frederick Buechner, I think that Hybel's instruction and guidance made it one of the best Christian books that I've read. It covers many questions that people have about how to pray, as well as, how people can get off track with their understanding of prayer and it's purpose for our lives.
Power Chapter: "In my head I have always believed in God's omnipotence...But too often this belief hasn't registered where it really counts--in my heart (p. 31)." In chapter 3, Hybels shares his findings from studying God's power and omnipotence. He broke it down into "God's Power over Nature," "God's Power over Circumstances," "God's Power over Hearts," and "The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever." After going into depth about God's power, he closes by reminding us that God, like a good father, doesn't want us to think we have to flog ourselves, begging for hours to get Him to pay attention; instead, God is "listening very closely, hoping" to hear our voices...that God actually takes great pleasure in meeting our needs.
Another strong aspect of Hybel's book is the way he approaches misconceptions in how we think about responding to the Spirit's promptings that come through a more disciplined prayer life. I think this part of the book is especially helpful because it addresses not just how to talk to God, but also how to hear and know better when it is God speaking in our lives. My favorite line in the whole book: "It never fails--in late January or early February when the Midwest goes into the deep freeze, I feel a strange but compelling calling to start a church in Honolulu." Me too, Brother. Me too;).
I highly recommend this book to new believers and those who consider themselves mature in faith but want to develop deeper more powerful prayer lives.
Power Chapter: "In my head I have always believed in God's omnipotence...But too often this belief hasn't registered where it really counts--in my heart (p. 31)." In chapter 3, Hybels shares his findings from studying God's power and omnipotence. He broke it down into "God's Power over Nature," "God's Power over Circumstances," "God's Power over Hearts," and "The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever." After going into depth about God's power, he closes by reminding us that God, like a good father, doesn't want us to think we have to flog ourselves, begging for hours to get Him to pay attention; instead, God is "listening very closely, hoping" to hear our voices...that God actually takes great pleasure in meeting our needs.
Another strong aspect of Hybel's book is the way he approaches misconceptions in how we think about responding to the Spirit's promptings that come through a more disciplined prayer life. I think this part of the book is especially helpful because it addresses not just how to talk to God, but also how to hear and know better when it is God speaking in our lives. My favorite line in the whole book: "It never fails--in late January or early February when the Midwest goes into the deep freeze, I feel a strange but compelling calling to start a church in Honolulu." Me too, Brother. Me too;).
I highly recommend this book to new believers and those who consider themselves mature in faith but want to develop deeper more powerful prayer lives.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book on prayer and re-examining the incorrect assumptions we...
I'm not much for writing reviews, but for this book I have to at least put in a few words. This book has revolutionized my prayer life and really given me a new sense of not only... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Jason P. Goble
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love
Hits a person right between the eyes with a painful fact. Easy to read not judgmentally written but with a tough love approach.
Published 4 days ago by James B. Boyd
4.0 out of 5 stars
Required for a Women's Bible study at our church
This was an excellent book to be used by our small group Bible study. Even though it has been out for quite some time, it is still very relevent.
Published 13 days ago by N. Saint
4.0 out of 5 stars
helpful
Not a lot of new information, but some good reminders to keep prayer a priority. It is worth the read.
Published 16 days ago by tjd
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
This is a great book that shows the importance of prayer. I would recommend it to anyone it is a must read
Published 17 days ago by Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Book
Such a good choice for our Adult Sunday School Class. It stimulates discussion and we are praying together.Thanks Bill Hybels
Published 20 days ago by Joan Theobald
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life Changing Book!
My dad gave me this book several years ago, since then I have bought 10 others and given them as gifts. Read more
Published 1 month ago by C. Parker
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Book
Teaches you practical abilities to your personal pray life. Very easy read for any age. Extremely helpful book for someone that wants to grow.
Published 1 month ago by Hopelessly Romantic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Prayer time is important....lets give it the attention it deserves
I was very helpful for my spiritual growth and provided helpful advice as to where and how to give the subject the importance it deserves. Read more
Published 1 month ago by dennis hutchinson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Changed my prayer life
This book really opened my eyes to a better way to pray. The more I followed the book's suggestions, the closer I felt toward God. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Raymond Engebretson
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