Recently when talking with people, I find one common theme: busyness. Everyone has a lot going on. Whether that be with work pressure, hauling kids to sports, ministry, health related encounters, end of the semester tasks, or so forth. It simply is a time of the year that seems like the days just don’t have enough hours in them. In such a season, it can become easy to walk through the motions. To robotically check off one thing at a time. Feelings of discouragement, anxiety, and tiredness may try to take over. I’d like to share a few simple truths that have encouraged me in such a season.
First of all, you must be sure that through the busyness you are keeping God first. It can be easy to get caught up doing “good things”-maybe even the tasks that He has set before you- and miss time with Him. None of these things will hold any power or have any real impact if you have not first spent intimate time with the Lord. I recently came across a quote that said, “A busy life makes prayer harder, but prayer makes a busy life easier.” Oh what truth that holds! In seasons of busyness, it can be so hard to sit down and spend time with the Lord. Your mind is preoccupied with all the deadlines you have to meet and things that need to be taken care of. You genuinely want that time with Him, but oftentimes the flesh wins the battle. I want to encourage you to fight through, as I attempt to do the same. All of these things we are doing will count for nothing if Christ is not the center. For the one working hard to encourage others in the faith, make sure you feed yourself spiritually first. “If I’m not careful, my devotional life gets mixed in with my ministry life, and before long, I don’t have a devotional life” (Mike Fox). Make sure to spend time with Him just because you love Him and want to walk closely with Him.
Next, remember why you are doing what you are doing. The following verses have always held a very special meaning in my life:
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Colossians 3:23
Through the years, they have served as encouragement for me to do the very best that I can in all things in life. When our tasks lose their purpose, they become a burden. We must be reminded that we do things for God’s glory and to please Him and not man. He deserves our best and our testimony should speak of that. If there is a busy burden in your life that you cannot relate back to some eternal purpose, ask yourself “should it even be there?” With those things being said, we also can’t let the strive to do our best to become a trap. Don’t get so caught up trying to reach perfection that your priorities get wrongly rearranged.
And finally, I want to remind you that God cares. When feeling overwhelmed and anxious with these things, run to Him. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” We have mentally accepted this verse as truth, but so often reject the blessing that it truly is. God's love and care is so much more than a verbal declaration. God careth for us. There is an action behind that care that He would love to perform in and through you if only you will choose to allow it.