Against Busyness

This morning I read a blog on The Gospel Coalition - 4 Ways to Win the Battle against busyness.

This paragraph jumped out at me:

"The draw of busyness is that it gives us a sense of importance. When my schedule is full, I feel like I’m in demand. Without me, we think, all of this would fall apart. As Christians, we all too often baptize this idolatry by assuming that busyness equals faithfulness. And all the while we’re “burning ourselves out for Jesus,” we’re running on the fumes of our own self-importance. Meanwhile, Jesus is unimpressed."

:/ Oh dear. Yep. That's me. I'm certain that if I didn't do my part, do the thing, make it work then it would all fail! Sometimes I act this out, most times it's sneaking through my heart and I pretend that I don't think I'm the most important and most needed in the room.

The article continues with some much needed heart surgery and urges me to rest in Jesus, sit at His feet, find my sufficiency in him and then, only then fill up my schedule with whatever he tells me to.

This prompts me to reconsider my day - am I doing these things to satisfy my own wants and desires, or am I doing it to care for others, use my gifts, please God?

In regards to ministry, do I gain satisfaction for having 100 women I'm meeting with, a tower of theology books I'm reading, planning meetings to go to, events to run? Do I take pride in answering the question, "How was your week?" with, "Busy!" Well, yes. Am I being faithful with what God has given me? Most likely not because I'm 'running on my own self-importance' and not being Christ- and other-centred. Ministry is not a checklist of achievements, it's not a campaign to improve people. It's a chance to point people to Jesus and help them live under his lordship.

I think I need to make some changes. Busyness does not equal faithfulness! God is important not me! The world will not fall apart if I stop and rest! Most of all, I need to fill my life with Jesus and be satisfied in him!

I'm going to try and switch my mind off when I'm in a rest period, and not be thinking of what I need to do, should be doing, could be doing. Instead I will endeavour to relish the God who gives me rest because I am human and need recharging. I will use the time to marvel at the God who never needs to stop and sleep.