I have had an epiphany. I multi-task WAY too much and WAY too well. In fact, I have become so adept at multi-tasking that I do it almost constantly. I play on my phone while waiting in line, while watching TV and while talking to my friends. I read while I cook dinner, while watching TV and before bed while texting people. I talk on the phone while cleaning my house. I listen to music while I work. My mind is on constant duty multi-tasking all the input I am giving it.
Now I know I am not alone. I'm not alone right? Many would blame technology but it's really not the technology. I remember growing up that I used to do counted cross-stitch while watching movies, reading magazines, books, etc. It's not my smart phone people. It's really not and I have zero intention of giving it up for it does me a world of good. However, it got me thinking about faith and how I practice it.
In our church right now we are reading through the New Testament in three months. I had fallen woefully behind and, ever the overachiever, intended to catch up instead of just starting up where everyone else was in the program. So I plowed through Matthew and headed into Mark and I was struck by several things. (I will share some in another post for it is not relevant to my multi-tasking platform).
Jesus was the master of balance. Crowds followed him constantly, like paparazzi, and he really delegated and attempted to make the most of his time. He made a point multiple times to say that he needed to get away from the crowds and rest. At times this wasn't possible for all the people were mauling him and he compassionately assisted them, but at other times he sent them away so that he could rest, pray and rejuvenate. I am sincerely comforted by the fact that my Lord and Savior set boundaries and didn't try to "do it all". In fact, he refused to allow himself to be overwhelmed by the crowds and managed them and his time remarkably (just another sign that he was truly perfect for I am sure I would have cracked under that type of pressure). Jesus seems to me to be perfectly present in each moment we read of him. He is focused on his one task and doing it well not worried about the future (and he instructs as much for us as well).
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33 (NIV) or stated another way "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (NLT).
And I felt incredible peace. So often we are so busy because we are seeking first our kingdom and our righteousness and not the Lord's. Jesus made time for rest and relaxation and yet we do not because we are so busy building up our own kingdoms that we fail to give the Lord the first-fruits of our time. Tithing is not just about money but time as well. If we don't seek the Lord first we probably won't get around to seeking him at all. God's instructions are, once again, so blessedly simple. Seek God and he'll do the rest. Could it get easier? I wonder why we make it so hard on ourselves. We don't have to carry the burden of multi-tasking and guess what? When you make yourself focus on one task at a time it will be so wonderful! Imagine praying without doing anything else. Imagine eating without watching TV or reading (very hard for me). Imagine taking each moment and trying to maximize your experience with it. I think that oftentimes we are so busying preparing to live that we forget to actually LIVE. Live for the Lord. Seek him first. He's got your back. He will take care of the rest. He makes that vow to us and I am ready to take him up on it.
I have to put to death my inner multi-tasker. Consciously. Daily. It is my cross of this moment. To die to my desire to multi-task and control things and generally be "in charge" and to enjoy the moments I have here on earth the best I can and focus first on the only thing that makes any difference at all. The Lord.
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