Busy. It’s a word that most of us can relate to all too well. It can be hard to find peace in the midst of our busy lives.
These days, it seems like being busy cares a badge of honor with it.
When someone asks me how I am doing, why am I instantly tempted to say, “busy?” Somehow, it would feel a little strange to answer the same question with “I’m fine and I have nothing going on right now.” I wouldn’t be surprised if that person might just look at me like I’d grown two heads.
Now being busy in and of itself isn’t necessarily bad.
Gordon MacDonald (In “Ordering Your Private World”) says, “There is a busyness that reflects a plan of activity, a pattern of priorities, and a sense of purposefulness. It is a good and satisfying busyness through which ones grows and increases competence.” He goes on to say that there is another kind of busyness that isn’t a good. He calls it destructive busyness. “But there is also a busyness that reflects a chaotic way of life-a way of doing in which one is simply responding to the next thing in the day. The next thing! It makes no difference whether or not it has significance; it’s just the next thing, and one does it because it’s there to do.
How many times haven’t I just done the next thing because I think it needs to get done?
That kind of busyness sure doesn’t lend itself to a peaceful heart, mind, and soul does it?
Instead, it feels like I’m barely surviving.
Like I’m about to drown at any moment because I might forget something that is really important to do.
Phil 4: 7 (NLT) Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
When I look into the Word of God, I realize that God’s perfect plan doesn’t include me walking in chaos.
His perfect plan doesn’t include me never having time to be in his Word.
His perfect plan doesn’t involve me doing things so that people will like me more.
His perfect plan doesn’t involve me doing every little thing that happens to walk into my life.
What his plan does involve is “a busyness that reflects a plan of activity, a pattern of priorities, and a sense of purposefulness.”
Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
When I truly seek after God with all my being, the things that I’m often striving for will be looked after.
When my heart truly beats with his, my desires and motives will line up with his and I will find “the peace of God which passes all understanding.”
Yes, it’s true that life is still often busy for me. (I haven’t figured out exactly how to avoid it completely)
It’s true that I still often find myself forgetting to “Seek first the Kingdom of God.”
But when I remember to bring myself back around to “Seeking the Kingdom of God first,” that’s when I find a “peace that passes all understanding.”
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