Busy Is Right Where Satan Wants Us

I'm happy I only have one person to answer to.  I've had to make some pretty drastic decisions lately to accommodate the growing needs of my family.  They were not popular decisions or ones that were approved of by probably anyone outside of our family.  But the only approval I'm seeking is God's.  If he says go, I go.  If he says stay, I stay.  Regardless of who thinks what or if I'm thought to be a fool.

Some of the decisions I've had to make are withdrawing from activities that we love, but that create more work for us in the long run, and not agreeing to every activity that presents itself.  I've found myself struggling to keep up with the daily grind, much less extra activities.  If I cannot return a text, a phone call, an email or a message because I'm too busy....maybe I'm just too busy.  If I cannot handle the demands at home to maintain a healthy environment (laundry, dishes, food, time) because I'm too busy....maybe I'm just too busy.  If the boys are not seeing their dad at all at night when he gets home because we're too busy....then maybe we're just too busy.

Cutting out all of the excess that doesn't promote a family and God-centered home is a must. There is no way we can have a family-centered and God-centered home when we are on the go all the time.  After removing us from extra activities, we've had time for family devotions again, we've had time to play games together and really talk again, we've had time to grow together without having to run to another place, or organize another thing, or be somewhere else again.  We're free to enjoy each other, our home, and God.

I believe satan wants us to be busy.  When we're busy, we try to fit in more than we can handle, and the things that we think we can cut out are the most important things that we need to fit in.  We do what we need to do to "get by" and all of the things that mean the most to our family are forgotten or dismissed.  In our home, we always pray together at night, whether busy or not.  But we tend to skip our family worship times and devotions.  We tend to see each other and be together, but not really spend quality time together.  And we tend to be grumpier, snap easier, and w'ere not as patient with each other.

I usually notice there's a busy-ness problem when one of the boys mentions they would like to do something as a family that we haven't done in awhile.  I may hear, "Hey, Mom...I'd like to play games as a family" or "Maybe we could all go to the park together" or "Mom, can you sleep in my bed tonight?" or "When do I get a date night with you and Dad?" or "Can Dad shoot bb guns with me soon?"  The final clincher when I decided to quit my photography business years back was my oldest son saying, "Mom, you love the computer more than you love me."  Well now.  That did it.  It's hard to let go and step back.  But when we do, we have peace and rest.

Think of Mary and Martha in Luke 10.  Mary sits at Jesus' feet and listens as he teaches.  Martha was distracted with serving and doing.  She was trying to make everything perfect, but in the process, didn't realize perfection was sitting in front of her.  The Bible never tells us to be busy.  It tells us to rest and be at peace.

Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God..."

It's not popular to go against the world's standards of living.  It's not easy, either.  But listening and obeying God regardless of what man thinks or says is what God requires: an open, willing heart that fears God more than man.  Lord, give me strength to do what you have us do regardless of how popular the decision is within our circle of friends and family, and give us wisdom to know how to carry it out.  We know we will be blessed in our obedience and we pray we will live our lives to the fullest while we serve and worship you...not our schedules and calendars.