Feeling busy

I suspect you feel busy. Over busy. Friends might tell you they think you’re too busy – if only you had time to listen. If you’re typical of those questioned in recent UK surveys, you recognise that your busyness needs addressing. But how?

As I’ve considered busyness recently I’ve been struck by some simple yet profound truths that might help Christians battle against unhealthy busyness.

1) We need to remember that we’ll be part of an everlasting new creation.

When we neglect this truth, we’ll be prone to feel that life is about working our way through a giant bucket list: squeezing in every good experience, saying yes to everything and not wanting to miss out on anything. God has given us many good things to enjoy. But let’s not put pressure on ourselves to experience every good thing before we die (or even before the end of next month!) As CS Lewis writes in the closing chapter of The Last Battle: “…we live now in the shadowlands –which is only the cover and title page of the great story – which goes on for ever and ever and in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

2) Remember the differences between us and God.

Sometimes our busyness flows from a false expectation of what we’re capable of doing. We prefer not to admit that we are limited. That we need good sleep to be at our best. Instead, we act like we’re God. One of the repeated messages that God gives through the prophet Isaiah is this: “I am God and there is no other.” It’s a simple and obvious truth. But it’s one we often forget. We’re limited in what we can do and achieve. God isn’t. We need sleep. God doesn’t. We are impacted by unexpected circumstances. God never has been. Let’s acknowledge our human limitations and live in the light of them. Our good and all powerful God will continue to do his unique work (even while we sleep!)

3) Have priorities and allow for some space. 

It’s a simple metaphor: you can fill a jar with rocks and then add sand to fill the gaps. However, if you begin with the sand you’ll struggle to fit the rocks in the jar. It will require effort to try to squeeze them in. It will likely get messy. 

As J.D. Greear writes: “Prioritize the “big rocks” of your life and allow yourself margin for the “sand.” Stress and busyness can come from doing too many things. But often they are the result of leaving no margin between the various items on our calendar. Ensure that you have time for the “big rocks” of your life, and keep the peripheral items peripheral.”

I suspect we know what the ‘rocks’ should be in our life. God’s word tells us if we’re not sure. So let’s get those things in place in the normal rhythm and pattern of our week. And leave room for the sand (and some space) after that.

If you want to think and read more about busyness then the following books might be helpful to you:

The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness Tim Chester

Time for Every Thing? Matt Fuller

Crazy Busy Kevin DeYoung