Are you too busy?
“I wish I had one more day to get stuff done.” I say this every time I get ready to leave for a trip. I always feel like I am a week behind. I scratch one thing off my to do list just to add 2 more items. I am sure you have felt the weight of this as well. Most of our days are filled up before we begin the week.
Busyness is not a word found in the Bible, but the Bible can help us understand what it means to be busy. Luke 10:38-42 has helped me think about the idea of busyness.
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
This helps me define busyness. Busyness is being so distracted by the to do list that the important areas of life are neglected. When tasks aren’t accomplished, it leads us to be anxious and troubled. Ultimately, prolonged busyness is a form of pride.
I chose my words carefully. Sometimes we hit the perfect storm and life is really busy for a season. Sometimes we face unforeseen circumstances that are beyond our control and those circumstances take over our life for a time. Busyness happens, but it shouldn’t be for prolonged seasons.
Prolonged seasons of busyness happen if areas of pride go unchecked. We can become people pleasers and we can’t say no to people’s requests, or when we are working towards a financial goal. It can also happen when we are trying to prove ourselves at work and go the extra mile to get noticed, or when we long for honor or compliments from the people around us.
These are forms of pride in our life. They normally overflow from our lives in positive actions, so nobody confronts us when they see the outward fruit of busyness. It often takes the form of serving others because we can’t say no. Nobody is going to rebuke someone who is serving.
A hardworking person is often put up on a pedestal at work. Handworkers get the promotions, raises, and honor. The busy person often gets the things they are striving form. Notice how the desires are being fulfilled and reinforcing our busy lives.
The inward fruit is often different than the visible fruit. People don’t see the stress, but the busy person feels it. The stress often leads to worry, anxiety, and a troubled heart. If this is you, you begin to wonder if you can keep up the pace or if people are happy with you?
You feel guilty because you didn’t do as much as the previous week and continue to work harder. Eventually the good things you must do are pushed out of your life and replaced by more tasks. These completed tasks lead to worldly fruit, but the more important things are left undone.
I don’t think there is a one size fits all definition to the busyness of life. An empty nester or college student will have more freedom with their time than a family of 8.
Heart Diagnostic Questions
· How often do you feel stressed because of lack of time? Do you feel troubled, worried, or anxious?
· What reasons do you allow yourself to get too busy? Are you so distracted serving, that you neglect the important things in life? Do you ever make excuses for your busyness?
– People Pleasing
– Financial Goals /Freedom
– Proving ourselves
– Desire for honor
· How often do you neglect the necessary things in life? Do you ever stop and sit at the feet of Jesus like Mary?
– Bible Reading
– Prayer
– Church attendance
· Does your work or hobbies ever interfere with family time? Does your spouse or kid(s) ever complain that you are not around?
· Fill in the categories of your life. These categories help me think about life. I start with the area of necessity and work my way down the list. Let the top priorities fill in your schedule first and let the other non-sinful things follow.
– Areas of necessity (spiritual disciples, work, school…etc.)
– Areas of desire that are healthy (exercise, hobbies, friends, volunteering)
– Areas of desire that are unnecessary (social media, tv, movies, video games)
– Ares that are sinful and must be removed (people pleasing, desire for wealth, proving yourself to get ahead, wanting honor, activities the Bible condemns)
· Is there anything that should be changed in your life?