Madison J. Caplinger

I’ve always been the kind of person that likes to stay busy and involved. Even as far back as middle I remember leaving in the middle of one practice to go to another, and being at school every day until 5:00. As a sophomore in college coming up on midterms, not much has changed. I still feel compelled to be involved in everything that remotely piques my interest, on top of 18 credit hours of classes. 

There’s nothing wrong with being involved- in fact, it’s a good thing. But as believers, we are commanded to be still and know that God is God. That becomes difficult in the midst of too much busyness. The busier I get, the more I find I am never fully present wherever I am, and that includes during my time with God. I find myself feeling drained, mentally and spiritually, and like though I have gotten things done I haven’t truly accomplished anything.

I know there is some busyness we can’t avoid- I take on some in order to graduate in 4 years. But how much are we doing that we can and should give up? What occupies our time, but does not contribute to our purpose or to the glory of God? We often find ourselves involve ourselves in good things that only become bad because we allow them to distract us from our purpose as servants of Christ.

It’s difficult to give up activities that we have become attached to; I’ve had to do it myself. But it becomes easier when we trust God. Trust God to tell you what you need to remove from your life. Trust God to provide if you work fewer hours. Trust God to satisfy you when you miss the thing you gave up. He will richly reward the sacrifices you make for him.

Excessive busyness is the product of skewed priorities. When we structure our lives around the glory of God and the promotion of the gospel, we will find ourselves in all the right places and at peace because we follow God’s leading. Nothing, I repeat nothing, is worth giving up the force of the gospel in our lives.