I have heard it said that if you don’t have enough time in your day to complete your to do list, then something on your list isn’t from God. If we honestly consider that, I suspect we would find it true. Throughout scripture we find God giving instruction to His people one step at a time. Often, they didn’t even have a picture of what the end goal was. They did not make packed to-do lists, or have reminders on cell phones, or day planners to fill up and show off how busy they were. They certainly did not have social media timelines to browse and keep up with everyone else’s to-do lists and busyness. They simply lived their lives one prayer, one instruction, one met need at a time. Left to steward their time, their resources, and their priorities, well.
Being busy. It tells the world we are productive, popular, needed. This can even cause others to question are they doing enough? Busyness screams for attention but never gets satisfied. A distraction the enemy can use as the one who wants nothing more than to keep your focus away from God. We are easily interrupted, chasing rabbits down deep holes. We can get overwhelmed. We can lose sight of the main thing. Or forget what the main thing even is. None of these are productive things and are certain to bring more hassle.
Truth is, we are not victims to our schedules unless we allow it. Don’t let that be how others see our God. Remember Martha? Martha was so busy and distracted with how her home looked when she heard Jesus was coming to visit that she missed the main thing. Jesus instead tells her to please, sit down, relax. Stop fretting and focus on me…the only thing. Martha was a mess. Her busyness gave way to bitterness toward her sister and made her look foolish, irreverent.
Instead, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Is it possible we are even projecting this need for busyness onto our children? How many of you have kids playing multiple sports, doing multiple things, juggling multiple classes, multiple sources of information, and multiple devices, all while still trying to allow their brains to develop? I know we did. If it’s all too much for you, is it all too much for them? We are likely to do more good for our children by encouraging them to downsize a bit. And this starts with setting an example and downsizing ourselves. Reevaluate the calendars and lists. Make sure every item is worthy, healthy, necessary, essential…at this time. If it can be spared for a season, kiss it goodbye. It doesn’t mean forever, just for now. When you empty some space in your day, your brain will learn how to decompress. Your body will learn how to relax and recover, just as Jesus instructed.
Doing nothing allows God to enter your thoughts more easily. And when you free up time for Him, He will bless it. Invite your children or a friend to sit and relax with you…just for a moment. Show them how to appreciate a reset.
When you are overwhelmed with too much to do, examine your heart, then examine your list. Choosing just one small thing to do next can help extinguish overwhelming and daunting pressure. Find anything unworthy, unnecessary or meaningless and delete them. Let them go. Ask God to show you what He wants you to focus on. Ask God to show you how to steward your time well and see every moment as an opportunity to glorify Him.
And then, as said in Frozen 2, do the next right thing.
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