In the last blog we saw what a constant state of busyness can do to us as a community and as individuals. Numerous polls show that 70-80% of Americans sometimes or always feel rushed. We’re busy around the clock, a kind of ‘scheduled hyperactivity.’ Inevitably, all of us have times and seasons when we cannot avoid being busy for good reasons. The more important question is what we are busy with and why?
When busyness is so deeply ingrained that our work is blurred into our play it’s no simple task to address it. It requires us to recognize that simply being busy isn’t the issue. As Tiffany Matthews said,
“Having multiple commitments is an unavoidable part of life. Rather, it’s living in a hurry—an unfocused, unfulfilling state of busy—that’s problematic. Correcting this requires reprioritizing our time -something that can seem nearly impossible once we’re accustomed to our overflowing schedules.”
Jesus lived differently than most of us. He didn’t have a spouse, kids, a 40-hour workweek, rush-hour traffic, or an overflowing inbox. He didn’t have electricity, a smart phone, PC or many of the other things we might argue contribute to our busyness. He also didn’t have many of the conveniences that come with today’s lifestyle. Despite these differences, Jesus was busy.
Jesus was in such high demand that at times he didn’t have time to eat (Mark 6:31). In the midst of his busyness Jesus knew how to prioritize his time. Knowing what our priorities is one thing, implementing them is quite another. Here is one reality we can see in Jesus’ life that we can learn from.
Just Say no
Jesus knew His purpose on earth. Because He understood that it was not dictated by the world, but by the Father he could say no to the countless requests for His help. When He was found and encouraged to return to the town where people were asking for Him, Jesus instructed His disciples:
“Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
Jesus understood His mission.” As pastor Kevin DeJong writes, “He was not driven by the needs of others, though He often stopped to help hurting people. He was not driven by the approval of others, though He cared deeply for the lost and the broken. He was driven by His God- given mission. He knew His priorities and did not let the many temptations of a busy life deter Him from His task.”
All that Jesus was doing in Capernaum was important and there were many more people to be cared for, but His devotion to his mission required him to say no. We too, can turn our focus from our many obligations to our God-appointed purposes. This will mean saying no to the many things that distract us even when those things are good. Jesus didn’t meet every need and neither can you and I. We weren’t meant to seize ‘every’ opportunity before us.
Discerning our priorities does not mean we selfishly pursue only the things we like to do, its’ about serving others in the way we are best able to and called to. We need discernment of balance in knowing the difference between what I should do and what God has called me to.
Discerning that answer comes from God’s voice in the scriptures, prayer and the people and things God puts in our paths. In the next blog we’ll see there is a right kind of busy.
Mark
