Busy Life

The ‘B’ Word – or Busy Life

Listening to people use the ‘busy’ word in conversation is so much a part of life today – for most people anyway!  However, as I said to a friend recently we set ourselves sometime ago now, not to use the word ‘busy’ when linking it to lifestyle. We prefer to use the term ‘life is full’  We all have 24 hours given as a gift to us. We can use our time as we choose. Busy is not always productive and it may not always be wisely planned.

To be effective within our sphere of influence we need time to draw breath, come aside, think, relax and allow God to restore and refresh us.  Yet, within society today it seems that we have less and less time to come aside for wholesome time alone.  We need solitude and quietness and  we can build this time in to the first part of our day. This time out prepares us for the day ahead.

Married couples with young children are particularly susceptible to the influences of intrusion and pressure within our busy society. We can be sucked in to the ‘immediate response required syndrome’ – mainly due to the demands of  technology  available to us today. Within our work and social lives and our children’s education there is the inevitable ‘to do’ list which grows longer by the week. TV’s, Radio’s, PC’s, Tablets and Mobile Phones all call for our attention. They are not bad in themselves but they can be a distraction.

The tyranny of the Urgent

How easy it is to become plagued with this mentality of the urgent! We dearly need to differentiate between the ‘urgent’ and the ‘important’  as we walk in his grace and peace.  As Christians our lives may be ‘full’ as in planned and purposeful. However, the secret of living within the sphere of God’s peace is surely found in ‘seeking first the Kingdom of God’   Becoming preoccupied with God’s giving frees us from the hustle and bustle of life.   We apparently make thousands of decisions each day. Some as simple as whether to hit the snooze button or rather get out of bed. Then there are the more important decisions about life, family, work and purposeful living.  “So, steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative and God-provisions.”

Carve out Time for Yourself

Don’t feel guilty if you had planned to have some quiet time alone when asked to join in with others. Feel free to say ‘no!’

I have heard people say that ‘sitting around’ quietly is a waste of time. You must be productive and busy. However, I think it would  be in your best interest to spend more ‘wasted’  time like this. To be truly productive requires forethought.

Take time out to think about God’s purpose for your life. Take time out to listen to his voice. Take time out to be!