Busyness = Joy thief
Here we are at the first day of October, and I’m scratching my head trying to figure out where the last month has gone!!! I so desperately want to live my life according to a rhythm of rest, not a rhythm of rush. I started the year by reading Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington, and in August I finished Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. How well I relate to being so busy that I give away the best of myself to others while only having crumbs left over for the precious people in my own home. When the stress of busyness has me feeling overwhelmed, it’s much harder to be in the moment, and it’s easy to snap angrily at the people in my home.
Busyness also distracts me from quiet moments spent in God’s Word and in prayer. Those moments where I refuel my soul and receive the strength I need for the challenges of each day. Quiet causes me to slow and hear God’s voice saying, “I want to be the source of your joy.” Busyness robs me of joy. It keeps me running at break-neck speed, and I miss moments of laughter and connection with loved ones because I’m too wrapped up in getting “stuff” done.
I am always awed by the rhythm of rest that Jesus lived by. He came to earth as a baby and spent 30 years growing and learning before launching into ministry. From his baptism by John to the cross is only a short 3 1/2 years of ministry. Now if that had been me, I would’ve been rushing to get done as much as possible, but we see Jesus set a different pace. He wasn’t rushed or hurried, and often He would go off by Himself to pray. I would’ve been like, “I just spent the last 30 years preparing for this, it’s not time to withdraw, it’s time to engage 24/7!” But Jesus knew that those quiet moments alone with God would be necessary to enable Him to walk in complete harmony with God’s plan for each day. Why do I think I can function on anything less than that?
I’m pretty convinced that fighting busyness is going to be a lifelong battle for me, but starting my days with my Bible and the First5 app from Proverbs 31 and then intentionally embracing moments of joy throughout the day, helps me to slow down and refocus on what is truly important – spending time with my Savior and with the precious people He has entrusted to my care.
How are you intentionally slowing down?