I am reminded tonight of the fragility of life. Just yesterday, not two miles from my home, there was a shooting rampage in the mall. Three people died yesterday. While I was blessed not to directly know anyone who was killed, I am thoughtful of the loss of those individuals (yes even the loss of life of the shooter for there is tragedy in the loss his life as well).
In thinking about how little we know about how long on earth our time will be, I am convicted about one thing. Preoccupation. There are so many things in this world that require our attention, some necessary and some forced into our conscious by the choices we make. I frequently find myself multi-tasking. I catch up with my daughter while I cook dinner. I read magazines and play on my phone while watching TV. I answer questions at work in the middle of a project. In each aspect of my life I can see it. Is it good? Is it healthy? Is it honoring to the Lord?
The answers are not simple. Multi-tasking enables me to accomplish things in a more timely manner, but at what cost? Really, the goal of multi-tasking is to accomplish things so that I can have more time for something else. What am I using this time for? Usually mindless things or yet more things that require my attention. Why do I spend so much time being busy?
I think sometimes that we keep ourselves busy for three reasons. The first is simply because of our expectations of ourselves (or the expectations we allow others to have of us). So often what we wish to accomplish, we change into some kind of personal mandate of necessity. We don't really have to do most of these things, we choose to in order to satisfy a need within ourselves or to satisfy those around us. It is almost an accolade when we tell people just how busy we are. We want people to think we can handle "doing it all". Guess what? We can't. Which brings me to reason number two, we keep busy to increase our sense of importance. We feel more valued when we are busy, as if there is greater purpose for those whose to-do list is never done. (Just a hint: God doesn't see it that way). Lastly, because remaining busy keeps us just preoccupied enough to not have to delve into the deeper realms of our beings and likely see things there that we wish weren't true about ourselves.
Being busy equals living in fear. Fear of letting yourself or others down. Fear of not making enough money to pay your bills. Fear facing who you truly are. Now I'm not saying that at times there aren't genuine reasons for busyness, but by and large they are not the reasons that we are usually busy.
I am challenged, in the wake of a reminder of how short life can be, to be "busy" about the things of the Lord. How often is that our real reason for busyness? (And if you work in ministry this applies to you too). What does God really want us to be busy with? I would like to venture that it is living our lives, every second, every minute in worship of him, following his plan for us and sharing his Word to each individual that crosses our paths. I'd say that's plenty to keep us busy for each second of the day. So maybe, starting smaller, how about we use some time that we claim we don't have to just BE with God. Read his Word, pray, sing. My friend Rose (who I posted about previously) had a favorite quote that said "Too busy NOT to pray". It's true, my friends, and as her too short life again reminds me, we need it more than we can ever know. So please, at this time of year when we all run around like chickens with our heads cut off, if nothing else, please spend some time with your Savior and focus on what is important to him and remember:
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33 NIV
In thinking about how little we know about how long on earth our time will be, I am convicted about one thing. Preoccupation. There are so many things in this world that require our attention, some necessary and some forced into our conscious by the choices we make. I frequently find myself multi-tasking. I catch up with my daughter while I cook dinner. I read magazines and play on my phone while watching TV. I answer questions at work in the middle of a project. In each aspect of my life I can see it. Is it good? Is it healthy? Is it honoring to the Lord?
The answers are not simple. Multi-tasking enables me to accomplish things in a more timely manner, but at what cost? Really, the goal of multi-tasking is to accomplish things so that I can have more time for something else. What am I using this time for? Usually mindless things or yet more things that require my attention. Why do I spend so much time being busy?
I think sometimes that we keep ourselves busy for three reasons. The first is simply because of our expectations of ourselves (or the expectations we allow others to have of us). So often what we wish to accomplish, we change into some kind of personal mandate of necessity. We don't really have to do most of these things, we choose to in order to satisfy a need within ourselves or to satisfy those around us. It is almost an accolade when we tell people just how busy we are. We want people to think we can handle "doing it all". Guess what? We can't. Which brings me to reason number two, we keep busy to increase our sense of importance. We feel more valued when we are busy, as if there is greater purpose for those whose to-do list is never done. (Just a hint: God doesn't see it that way). Lastly, because remaining busy keeps us just preoccupied enough to not have to delve into the deeper realms of our beings and likely see things there that we wish weren't true about ourselves.
Being busy equals living in fear. Fear of letting yourself or others down. Fear of not making enough money to pay your bills. Fear facing who you truly are. Now I'm not saying that at times there aren't genuine reasons for busyness, but by and large they are not the reasons that we are usually busy.
I am challenged, in the wake of a reminder of how short life can be, to be "busy" about the things of the Lord. How often is that our real reason for busyness? (And if you work in ministry this applies to you too). What does God really want us to be busy with? I would like to venture that it is living our lives, every second, every minute in worship of him, following his plan for us and sharing his Word to each individual that crosses our paths. I'd say that's plenty to keep us busy for each second of the day. So maybe, starting smaller, how about we use some time that we claim we don't have to just BE with God. Read his Word, pray, sing. My friend Rose (who I posted about previously) had a favorite quote that said "Too busy NOT to pray". It's true, my friends, and as her too short life again reminds me, we need it more than we can ever know. So please, at this time of year when we all run around like chickens with our heads cut off, if nothing else, please spend some time with your Savior and focus on what is important to him and remember:
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33 NIV
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