Busy Busy!!!

Verse of the Week:

Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”

Busy Busy!!!

Overwhelmed, frustrated, tired, and, let’s face it, in a horrible mood. I had just gotten home from a disaster instead of what usually is a smooth grocery shopping trip. As we were in the checkout line, Brayden decides to turn from a perfect angel into a mommy’s worst nightmare (Do the terrible twos start at 5 ½ months?).  I was mortified because I felt like one of the moms at the checkout line who couldn’t get her child under control.  Need milk? Nope. Need pacifier? I guess if he is spitting it out every 5 seconds, then nope.  Need a toy?  Nope.  I went through the checklist of everything I knew, but Brayden continued to cry every 5 seconds after I tried to soothe him; if you didn’t know him like I do, you would have thought his world was ending.  My frustration grew, and I probably changed the minds of two bachelors in front of me about having a cute cooing baby with their future spouses after seeing a distraught mother and a baby that I felt was making noises as loud as the sirens on a fire truck.  We get into the car, and guess what?  Mr. Terrible Twos decides to become Mr. Perfect Angel again.  Crying stops!  Yes!  That means we can make our trip to Albertsons to pick up a few other items, and I can get my shopping trip done all in one outing. We were just about to make the turn into Albertson’s parking lot, when the sirens let loose again!  I skipped the turn and went straight home.  And that was where I was, overwhelmed…

I had just arrived home from a half finished grocery shopping trip to a home that looked like tornado had struck. Dishes were piled in the kitchen; toys, papers, clothes, and shoes were scattered everywhere; the toilet was growing some kind of fungus in it; the bed was unmade; the trashes were full; the laundry was piling; and, to top it off, there was still that unfinished grocery shopping trip.  I felt like pulling out my hair after seeing all that needed to be done or maybe growing 10 more gray hairs to add to the ones already on my head.

 BUSY BUSY BUSY!!  OVERWHELMED, OVERWHELMED, OVERWHELMED!!  I had to get away from the situation.  I walked over by the couch and pulled out my Bible and study materials and spent time in the Word.  Slowly, my frustrations and overwhelming attitude started to fade and was replaced with Jesus. My heart drank up His Word, and my exhaustion was replaced with renewed strength.  Those 20 minutes of peace and quiet, just God and me, was what I needed after a hectic crazy morning. Brayden woke up from his nap, and we went back out to finish our shopping trip.  I may not have gotten everything done on my list that day, but my spirit was rejuvenated, and I was ready to face the rest of the day. 

You see, in today’s society, we have extremely busy lifestyles to where we feel like we have to be busy every microsecond of the day.  In some ways, I don’t believe it was too different during the days of Jesus.  Here’s the story of a sweet women whose life style seems to reflect our own:

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

You see, Martha was so focused on the busy tasks she had to complete, that she neglected something important, hearing the words of Christ.   There are so many times that we let the busyness of our days take over our lives that we neglect the most important thing we have, our relationship with Christ.   Some people are even so busy trying to serve Christ by volunteering in church activities, making meals for the sick, or helping out at the soup kitchen, that they neglect their relationship with Christ.  Don’t get me wrong, all of the things people do to serve Christ are wonderful things, but serving Christ and having a relationship with Him are two different things.  If you don’t have 20 minutes in your day to sit and listen and drink in the Words of Christ, let’s face it, you might be too busy.  God says in Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”  By taking time in the Lord, you renew your spirit and allow yourself a chance to focus on His greatness and the things He does for you. As a result, it brings you joy, strength, and peace.

Let’s look at it from a different perspective.  Sometimes our busy life styles can actually cause us to neglect other important things in our life, like our family.  Some people are so busy trying to go out and save the world that they end up losing their family.  In the Bible, Jesus talks about loving others (Matthew 22:39).  The love Christ talks about here is the Greek word Agape love.  Agape love is a selfless love that involves another person’s best interest.  Are you putting your family’s best interest first?  Or are you too busy in your job and volunteering in activities to attend your son’s soccer game or to spend time eating supper with your family in the evenings?  Are you putting the needs of your family first?  Are you there to help your child with his/her science homework, or to help your wife out around the house?   

Busyness, Christ, or Family.  Which one is your top priority?

Be still and know that I am God….