Overwhelmed with Busyness…

“Take a deep breath.  Get present in the moment

and ask yourself what is important in this second.”

~Gregory McKeown

Scripture:

She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching.  But Martha was very busy and distracted with all her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone?  Tell her to help me and do her part.”  But the Lord replied to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

~Luke 10:39-42 

Perspective:

Read the next few sentences slowly and do what they say…

Take a deep belly breath, then hold it for a couple of seconds as you allow the oxygen to flood your brain, slowly release it as you use all your senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) to focus on where you are in this very moment.  Now, relax your shoulders, your hands, and your feet.  Repeat until you feel relaxed and present in this moment. 

Is anyone like me, I might be relaxing but if I take a minute to think about it, I am actually still in a tense state?  Think about how that tension affects all parts of your being…mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual and how they in turn affect the seven areas of your life.  Modern day society is one of want, consumption, and comfort.  We have so many conveniences in our life, yet our days just do not feel any easier!  Instead, we seem to just have more time to cram more things and more activities into, leaving us feeling more overwhelmed and more stressed than ever before.

Do you have daily downtime, time to talk to and praise God, to read His word; to really connect with loved ones, including yourself; time to enjoy nature and all the beauty that surrounds you?  Time to just be present in the moment?  So often we overschedule ourselves, and our loved ones, as if being idle for any amount of time were a bad thing.  Studies show that kids need to be bored in order to spark their imagination and thus their creativity; some boredom is good!  Yet, due to electronics kids are rarely bored today, instead they are always fixated on one screen or another, being constantly entertained by an outside source.  Then, when they are not on their screens it is often because they are running to one of their many activities.  I used to volunteer for everything I was asked to do, I was a human-doer.  I am not sure exactly why, but I do know I used to have  trouble saying, “No,” and I’ve always loved helping people, which is a good thing but like all things must be done in moderation; it must be scheduled behind what is most important in this life: God, your spouse, your children, and the work you do to provide for yourself, your family, and to be able to help others who are in need with money and/or your time.

When you stop to think, it is easy to realize a day, maybe even days or weeks, have passed where you have been so caught up in your own life, in your busyness, that you have forgotten about your relationship with God and really giving quality time and attention to what is most important in this life, all while busily doing stuff that is not vital but feels it in the moment.  Busyness helps satan’s will for us thrive; it keeps us distracted and thus disconnected from God.  When connection is lost, doubt and worry creep in, and we begin to rely solely on our self; the cares of this world begin to drown out our devotion to and trust in God.  When we realize this has happened, it is time to sit in quiet stillness and reconnect with our Creator. 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable, and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

Our relationship with the Lord is a verb; it is living and breathing; it needs time, commitment, and intentional effort to flourish, just like a marriage or any other close relationship we value.  The relationship we create with the Lord is of utmost importance in our life now and forever, and is well worth the intentional effort, especially considering it is tied to eternity, to time without end.  The strength of this special relationship like so many things, is a choice we make; God will meet us to the extent that we seek Him and have faith through life’s many hills and valleys.  The Bible instructs us to, be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).  Being still, or resting in the Lord, does not mean sleeping or wasting time, but rather a calm and patient trust in His plan, time devoid of worry and stress over things we cannot control, a sense of peace only obtained through surrender to and trust in Him.  It means to quietly listen for and pay attention to God’s voice, to follow the Bible instead of all the noise of this world that can be so very distracting and demanding.  It lets the Lord know you put your trust and hope in Him, but again it does not mean you sit idly and do nothing.  Instead, work to get to know and grow close to God, to build a relationship with Him as you wait in faith for His instructions, then be obedient to His will for your life.  God will not do what you can do for yourself. 

What do you spend your days and weeks doing, those days and weeks that pass so very quickly?  The truth is, we do make time for what is most important to us.  If you want to see what you prioritize and value, just examine your schedule (and your bank account)!  Are those activities that fill your schedule leading you in the direction you desire to go in this life?  Are they truly enhancing your mind, body, and spirit?  What about the lives of your children, whom you may be keeping busy with activities simply for fear of boredom?  Take time to not only examine your schedule, but also to think about why you do what you do each day.  Only you can make different choices and get off the hamster wheel so many of us run on each day, day after day.

Does your daily life model Mary or Martha?

Life Applications:

>Write out your schedule for this week (the GML Time and Goal Planner will allow you to do this and to see it in on paper, which always helps me).  Then, add each of your kids and your spouse’s schedule (as it applies to the family) in different colors. 

Does it look impossible? 

Now is as good a time as any to consider why you have crammed your schedule so full.  Do you take time to prioritize events, activities, and requests?  To first prioritize time in stillness, or praise, with God; for relaxing and fun time with your family; for giving of yourself to those in need; for time in nature; or for anything else that is important or meaningful to you?

>>Plan your work and work your plan.  First, make time for/schedule what is most important to you.  If you are living by the Bible, God comes first, then your spouse, and then your kids.  Work is crucial and meant to provide for you and your family, and to allow you to have a generous heart, but it is not meant to be all-consuming.  Do you squeeze what is most important into a schedule crammed with activities that are not crucial but rather meant to enhance one’s life, OR, do you schedule what is most important first and then add in the enhancers (activities) as you have time available?  Activities are great but they are not meant to make up your life, they are simply the garnishes on the entrée platter that is life!

“The biggest battle you will face in life is your daily appointment with God; keep it, or every other battle will become bigger.”

~Ravi Zacharias