“If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.” I’ve nodded my head in agreement with this statement more times than I can count.
Yes, I know all too well the peril of a busy life, the kind that keeps you running at a breakneck pace and leaves you crabby and anxious. I have lived life with an abundant calendar and I can attest that it is but a shadow of the promised abundant life we have in Christ.
But even after a season of extreme busyness, a subsequent burnout, and a prayerful re-ordering of my life, I find I want to push back on this statement. I believe it is entirely possible to do busy well. After all, if Christ has redeemed all aspects of our lives, then it stands to reason he can redeem the seasons of busyness, too.
I don’t believe we need to avoid being busy, but we do need to be intentional in the midst of our work. By remembering some key principles and setting guideposts, we can handle busy, not as the world does, but in a Christ-like way.
- Prioritize time with the Lord
When life gets busy, my Bible reading and prayer time with God is often the first thing to suffer. But I’ve learned through personal experience that disconnecting from the Lord is the worst thing I can do during a busy season.
One of my favorite quotes on busyness is by Martin Luther who stated, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” That may feel extreme, but what if we could imitate Luther’s insistence on time with God when life gets busy?
Jesus illustrates how vital our time with him is in John 15:5 when he states, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (ESV)
When we are already wishing for more hours in the day, the world will say we are foolish to “waste” time with God. But as followers of Christ, we know that abiding in the Vine is the very thing that ensures our productivity in him. Setting this guidepost reminds us that God is our source of life and strength. Apart from him, we can do nothing.
- Leave margin for divine interruptions
I hate to admit this, but there were days during a recent “year of insanity” when I never looked a stranger in the eye. I know for certain I missed opportunities to love my neighbor well.
This is one of the most unfortunate consequences of poorly handling our busy seasons. If we are too busy to notice those around us, something needs to change. Leviticus 19:9-10 sets a spectacular guidepost for us:
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” (ESV)
Granted, you may not have a vineyard but I’m betting you have a calendar. The Lord shows us here in Leviticus that he wants us to leave room in our lives to care for those in need. In our lives today, we might consider avoiding scheduling our lives right up to the edges, trying not to strip our energy reserves bare. We want to leave room for God’s divine appointments – those he brings to us who need encouragement and care.
This Levitical command reminds us that we are not seeking to build our own kingdom, but God’s. Our time and resources are not our own, but are gifts from the Lord to be used in his service. Here’s the hard part: we cannot be afraid to say no to a commitment if the Lord interrupts our plans. Which happens to lead us to the next guidepost…
- Obedience over hustle
I recently read the phrase “Obedience Over Hustle” on social media and immediately adopted it as my mantra. It may sound cute and catchy, but it’s actually a tough quip to live out.
In a season of busyness, it is easy to get caught up in all our to-dos. Between your schedule, the meetings, and the laundry, we can forget who it is that determines our days. This guidepost reminds us who is Lord of our lives.
As busy Christians, we must learn to lay our mile-long to-do lists before God each morning and pray Proverbs 16:9, “Lord, here are my plans. I ask that you would direct my steps.” Then we should spend the rest of our day attentive to his direction.
It’s important for us to remember that nothing on our calendar is as important as obeying Christ’s will for our day.
- Rest
The busy Christian woman must absolutely rest. The world equates rest with falling behind, but as Christians we know that to rest is to trust the Lord.
When we rest, we are admitting we have limitations – a difficult admission for wannabe supergirls! We are also admitting that God doesn’t need us to keep the world spinning. Ultimately, resting reminds us that God is God and we are not. To a world caught up in endless activity, to rest in the midst of our busyness is to boldly testify to the goodness and sovereignty of our God.
Friend, we are all going to experience seasons of busyness, some of which may feel endless. But with these guideposts in place, we can navigate our lives with freedom and joy, knowing the Lord is our strength. He is in control and directing our steps. We can rest in his sovereignty. So go on, girl! Don’t be afraid to take on the world.
