Crazy! Hectic! Busy! How many times do we hear these terms describing life? How many times do we use them? "Oh, I wanted to call you, but life's just been so busy lately, I'll try to call when I get more time!" "Ugh, I wish life would just slow down and quit being so hectic. I have no free time!" Yeah, you've heard it, and most likely said it too.
These questions keep sticking in the back of my mind: "Are we really supposed to be this busy all of the time? Did God really intend for our lives to be so chaotic?" There are seasons in our life when circumstances beyond our control dictate our schedule, I'm not discounting that. However, how many times do we really HAVE to be at EVERY activity on our schedule? I look at my own calendar and think "Wow, something's gotta give. There are not enough hours in the day!"
I've noticed that when my own schedule is booked to over-flowing and I over-commit myself, my body and mind usually become run-down. And, when I'm spread too thin, not one of my commitments is really getting all of me - just the part that I can spare.
I definitely believe this flows into our spiritual lives too. How many times do we say "I would love to be able to read my Bible, do a devotion and spend time in prayer every day, but I just don't have enough time"? Do we really have less time than those who have gone before us? We live in an age of convenience and technology. The people in the Bible did not have the technology that we do - they didn't have the scrolls on their phone, IPAD or laptop. And they didn't have commutes in which they could either read the Word on said devices or listen to the Bible or devotion while driving to work. How is it that they could memorize entire books of the Bible, yet we have trouble finding time to read a few verses?
Here's my theory: I think, in large part, our lack of time has to do with our priorities, as well as man's opinion of us. We put too much emphasis on activities that have no real bearing on eternity. And, for those of us involved in the Church, we have a tendency to be over-involved in good works that we may not have even been called to do. I think we've forgotten the words of the Lord in Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
I fear we are a generation who has forgotten how to "be still". We are so used to living in this "microwave, have it in 30 seconds or less" society that we don't know how to "be still" before God. So, we wait for a whole minute, and when we don't hear an answer, we start becoming busy. I also think that when it comes to family and church family, we too often fear what someone will say about us if we're not present for every activity, every party, every event. If my missing a birthday party or one night of group study to have an evening of being still before the Lord is lowering their opinion of me, then they probably don't love me as much as they pretend they do. If they really do love me, they'll want me to be at peace with God above all else.
I know that life is busy, but by over-extending ourselves, we're not just cheating others. I fear we're not just cheating ourselves either, but we're also cheating God. There's a reason He told us to "be still and know that I am God". He desires for us to spend time with Him. He longs for the times when we are simply still before Him, just spending time in His presence.
Now it's time for me to go check my schedule and see where I can make more time for being "still" and less for the "busyness" that God didn't intend for me anyway!
