I heard it again today.
“I’m so busy.”
Yep. I hear ya, sister. Busy is the buzzword. Busy is what we do and busy is how we live.
Friend, can I be honest with you? I’m tired of busy. I’m tired of its habits and requirements. Of the race on the hamster wheel and the running-just-to-catch-myself pace.
In fact, I’m so tired of it, I came home early from work today to think, to sit, to ponder. How did I get here? I allowed busy to occupy space in my life again. Wasn’t it not that long ago I stopped all this madness by letting this craziness bypass me? I guess let my guard down, and here I am once again.
Smack-dab in the middle of busy.
I remember a quote from Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay, Inc. She said, “Busy people get the most done.” Yes, Mary Kay, they do. I would agree with this statement. Those who have lots on their plate seem to accomplish more than those who don’t.
But, busy people also lose their joy and their peace with too much to do. Busy people can become ineffective with all they are juggling. And, yes, busy people can experience burn out and even black out. How do I know? Because, unfortunately, I’ve been there. And, I don’t care to walk down those roads again. No thank you.
Friend, are you tired of busy, too?
Tired of the daily pace? Tired of never catching up? Feeling overwhelmed and overloaded?
I watch my husband. He’s busy, especially at work. He took a week off when we rode RAGBRAI (the annual bicycle ride across Iowa) in July. He’s still behind being absent from work that week, even though he leaves home before 5 a.m. and returns eleven or twelve hours later. He’s tired all the time. All. The. Time. He’s tired of busy, too. I imagine there are days he’d just like to call it quits. But, that’s not reality. That’s not an option for him, at least not now.
Maybe you’re in a similar circumstance.
A life situation is making you busier than you want to be. Or, this season in life is over the top with too many commitments and responsibilities. You’re busy taking care of everyone else because that’s what you do. So, what do we do now? How do we ease the pull of busyness?
My only answer is this, found in Romans 12:2:
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you. (TLB)
Or,
Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (MSG)
Consequently, I have become too well-adjusted to this culture of busy. I could use a fresh newness in all I do and think. How about you?
Tired of busy? We have hope.
Turning our attention to God is our answer. I believe when we do, He’ll bring out the best of us. Without all of the running, the planning, the organizing, or anything else on our part. He’ll do it without any help from you and me. He’ll show us the best way to live the lives He’s blessed us with. This is the best news all day!
Hallelujah and amen!
Blessings,
Linking this post with Mary for #TellHisStory.
Julie, there is much wisdom in this post. It seems like we are a people who are busier than ever, more tired than ever before, and hence, more discouraged. Wonderful reminder for us all to take a breather and be still.
Hi, Joanne! I need the breather, for sure. Thank you for stopping in. Praying you find that time to be still today. Much love!
I am so blessed to be out of the stage of busy. Oh, I still have busy times that seem to come in spurts but nothing like the days when I was wife, mom, teacher, chauffeur, Sunday School teacher….you get the idea! I love the peacefulness of my life now and I don’t miss the busyness at all! Hang in there! You’ve got your eyes in the Right Place!
Cindy, I wonder if I’ll ever get to the space of life you’re in right now. So glad you don’t have the busyness you once had. Praying for us all in this today, no matter what stage we find ourselves in. Bless you, friend!
I love the Message version of Romans 12:2. I love the thought of being changed from the inside out. I know that when I’m overly busy that is how I am truly gong to change – from the inside out.
Hi Mary! I liked that version too… regarding that very same thought of changing from the inside out. So much of the time we focus on the outside to change first. So glad we get to journey through this life with each other! Blessings, my friend!