And sometimes our business is in doing "good things," serving in ministry, volunteering, helping out friends and neighbors. The problem may not be in what we're doing, but rather in how much we're doing. Jesus is our model, he was busy with the work set before him of teaching, performing miracles, spending time with the least of these, yet still he took time in solitude with the Father, spent time with his disciples and knew when it was time to leave a city. Jesus even teaches this principle of getting away from busyness to his disciples:
And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) -Mark 6:31
Resting does not always feel natural, we often feel like we should be doing something. Or, maybe someone asks us to do something and we feel guilty saying no because we don't have anything else going on at that time. So we say yes.
Maybe you already know this, but as I work with busy people every day I like to share with them this phrase of freedom from Pastor Chris Hodges that helped me years ago and serves as a good reminder even today: Just because your schedule is free doesn't mean you have to say yes.
While every moment of our day should be spent in communion with the Lord we need to be protecting time in solitude with him every day. Yes, we can be energized when we serve but we must be spending time with our Maker, allowing him to pour into us, filling us, refining us, renewing us. Perhaps we need to say no in order to spend time with our family or reconnect with an old friend. For it is during the protected times together that we build intimacy in relationships, with God and people.
Lord, teach us to find rest in the mist of a busy life. May we be good stewards of our time, in work, play and rest. And may we give you honor and praise in every minute of our days.
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