Leaning In - Getting Back to Basics when Life is in Upheaval - Part 3: Diagnosing the Problem (B) Too Much to Do
I am continuing this series on Leaning In - Getting Back to Basics when Life is in Upheaval. Last week I started taking a look at diagnosing the problem by looking at how we receive and process the overload of information. This week I want to concentrate on how having too much to do moves us away from the basic tenants of our Christian faith.
I think most of us agree that we are busier than ever. It seems even with all the automation, AI, and other “improvements” we are still checking the boxes on our to do lists in an ever changing and challenging world. Even though we might have things like - do my devotions, pray, and go to church - on my to-do list why do we still feel overwhelmed and disconnected from God?
I have long thought that busyness is just another strategy of our enemy to keep us from what God really wants for us, which is a holy and perfect relationship with Him. There is a definite connection between our busy lives and our thoughts. What we think is important is what we focus our energy on. As parents we want to make sure our children are cared for, healthy, educated and become good citizens…at least that is what a parent should want for their children. But often what starts as a perfectly good desire morphs into a circus of sports, hobbies, social events, and school involvement that overshadows, not only their relation ship with the creator, but our own. This is only one aspect of our lives. Things like work, our hobbies or interests call for our attention on the regular, and there is also the relational aspect of our lives as we long for connectedness and meaning. Satan is as intelligent as heavenly beings come and he knows if he can get us consumed by life and all the to do’s we will have less and less time for God.
Image by Toshiharu Watanabe from Pixabay
The following two verses are just as true today as they were in the days of Isaiah. While God was speaking to the nation of Israel we know that we are grandfathered into the Chosen race by our belief in the redemptive work of Christ.
“1 “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’
To a nation which did not call on My name.
2 “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,”
Is my busyness causing me to walk in a way that is not good? Am I guilty of following my own thoughts? Are those thoughts creating a life of peace, hope and joy; or are my thoughts changing my priorities which have taken me away from spending quiet time in God’s presence, reading His word or having fellowship with others in a church? Has work, hobbies, obsessions, or addictions taken the place of my relationship with God. Have I allowed my family to become so busy with activities that it is affecting the dynamic of what a Christian family should be?
Since the point of this whole series is to take us back to God’s Word and His truth let’s take a look at Paul’s epistle to the church at Colossae.
“1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
True confessions: I waste a lot of time. I am often complaining that I don’t have enough time, but so much of it is due to my own lack of self discipline. I scroll too much. I can sit down at 7:30 and suddenly it is 8:15 and I have done nothing to improve my relationship with God, or others for that matter. I love to watch shows, and movies - sci fi, drama, mysteries, or fantasy - I spend a lot of time watching things. I also love to thrift. Do I need more stuff? No!! I feel that so very little of my time genuinely revolves around seeking things above. I have to believe that I would be more full of His peace, His joy and His hope if I actually spent more of my time with Him. Abide, abide, abide!
Now, I am not saying that we can’t enjoy a movie, or spend some time on our phones, go thrifting, or allow our kids to be involved in various activities. All of these things can be good to relax, to learn or to create bonds within a family or a community. The problem comes when we allow these things or any thing at all to come between us and our amazing, loving God.
Further on in Colossians 3 we read:
“12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
It is my belief that if we really want to be Christ like and do the things listed above we need to be more God focused and less busy. That is not to say busy people aren’t godly. Many good Christians have busy lives: working, raising families, caring for elderly parents, doing good in their communities and being involved in their churches. There are many, many good things to do and we must be about God’s business, but we also must make time to just be.
I want to end this post on Psalm 46. I love how this psalm speaks to the busyness of real life: the trouble, the tragedies, the state of nations, the anxiety that comes with the busyness of schedules and to-do lists, of activities and events. Through it all we can hear His voice say, “Cease striving - Be still - Stop all of this…for just a little while…and know that I AM God!”
“1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.”
Slow down, put the list aside and listen for His love whispered on the breeze, or His protection sprinkled in the rain, or His peace gliding in on guilted clouds at sunset. “Be still….”
