We’ve been through a lot together over the last number of weeks! We’ve confessed some addictions to some unhealthy tendencies, asked ourselves some tough questions, looked ahead to the inevitable outcome to busyness, and we’ve dug deep to find the root of our over-activity.Tough stuff. And now we’ve finally arrived at the part you’ve probably been waiting for!  How. How do we overcome busyness? How do we resist the urge to fill every nook and cranny of our lives with activity? How can we find the rest He promises us? We’ll discuss how to overcome the addiction to activity over the next few days. I so appreciate you journeying with me over the last few weeks. We are almost there!

 

All that we have is from God. We know this – at least in theory.

Our money belongs to Him, the skills and abilities we have were given to us by Him, and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

But all includes our time as well. Time is a gift and a trust. Each day is given to us by God to use for His kingdom and his glory. Sadly we often spend the time given to us on ourselves.

There are endless tips and courses on prioritizing, time management, and finding the ever-elusive balance in life. We can list all of our responsibilities and activities and rate them in order of importance, eliminating the ones of lesser value. We can track our days to see how we are spending our time, then implement tools to help us manage it more effectively. And we can strive to balance all the areas of our lives, equally allotting time to each area of importance (but life rarely works like that – have you noticed?). 

All of these are good. But there is one practice for faithfully stewarding our time that far exceeds them all.

Simply ask God

Because time is a gift from the Creator and our goal is to faithfully steward each resource He so freely gives, we need to ask Him how He would like us to spend our days.

You may wonder and even begin to worry that if you ask Him, He might ask more of you. But remember:

God makes us lie down in green pastures. He leads us beside still waters.

It is the world and the culture that demands we do more and more. We are not asking the world, we are asking the Father who ordained our days and wrote each one in His book before the foundation of the world.

And He gives us enough time to complete what He’s called us to do.

The Faithful Steward

You may know the story. A man goes away on a long trip, and before he does, he calls all of his servants together and entrusts various amounts of money to them, dividing it in proportion to their abilities. When he returns from the trip, he finds two have been faithful, doubling the amount he had given them, but one servant was not. So what little he had was taken away and given to the faithful servants.

When Jesus finishes telling this story, He says:

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.     ~ Matthew 25:29 (NLT)

 

I know each day has 24 hours – no more, no less. But I wonder, if we use well the time we’ve been given, can God multiply our time? Will He smooth out the path in front of us and eliminate possible glitches that drain our time? Will He increase our efficiency and productivity, in effect lengthening our days?

We will all give an account for how we used our days on earth. Let’s be faithful stewards.

The Seasons of Life

There are seasons in life. Some of you are in the midst of diapers and bottles and midnight feedings. Others are chasing around toddlers and cleaning endless messes. Still others spend their days behind a desk and helping with homework and running children to various activities. And some of you are tending to grandchildren and ministering to those who are sick.

Whatever season life finds you in, know this: There is a time for everything.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.   ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)

 

When you are changing diapers, maybe you can’t be involved in church ministry as much as you’d like. When you are in the middle of a big work project, maybe you can’t participate in your favourite sport.

God has a purpose for you in each season.

And the seasons change. This one will not be like the next. Be willing to ask God what His priority is for you during this season of your life.

Reflections for Being Still Today: What activities are draining and/or wasting your time? How can you use that time more effectively – not necessarily to do more? Perhaps God is calling you to rest more. How can you more effectively steward your time for the kingdom of God? Scripture for Being Still Today: To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.     ~ Matthew 25:29 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Track how you spend your time over the next couple of days. Be aware of any areas in which you are not using your time as God would want you to. Ask Him how He would like you to spend your time.

 

 

If you are a believer, your primary responsibility is to do just that – believe God.

We have been created to believe God.

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He” (emphasis mine).   ~ Isaiah 43:10 (NLT)

 

God wants us not only to believe in Him, but also believe Him.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “…Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Believing God exists is one thing – many people would confess belief in God – but believing God for daily, personal, situations is quite another.

We sin when we refuse to believe God is able, and when we refuse to trust that He is in control. Our excessive busyness may indicate we do not believe God can or will come through for us. Consequently, our unbelief prevents us from resting in Him.

• Do we really believe God will provide for our physical needs if our worry over money drives us to work 50 hours a week?
• Do we really believe God’s love is all we need if we can’t say no to people for fear of rejection?
• Do we really believe God is in control of the outcome if we try to manipulate the results ourselves?
• Do we really believe in God’s unconditional approval of us as His children if we are constantly striving for perfection?
• Do we really believe God will open doors for us to accomplish our purpose in life if we force them open ourselves?
• Do we really believe God has good things planned for us if we hold unwaveringly to our own plans?

 At the core of my compulsion to busyness is the sin of unbelief.

 According to Jesus, not believing in Him is sin (John 16:9). Perhaps not believing God is a sin as well.

An Unbelieving Approach to Life

If were were to be honest, is there part of us that thinks God may need a little of our help?

I trust you God, but I’ll make sure my plan is in place, just in case you don’t come through for me.

Isn’t that really what we are saying when we are addicted to busyness? When we think we have to do it all ourselves and make life happen, are we saying God is unable or unwilling to provide for us? This self-sufficient approach to life is opposite to what God leads us to –  compete dependence on Him.

When we don’t believe God can move mountains, we get busy trying to move them ourselves.

Now certainly there is a balance, because adopting a lazy lifestyle and expecting God to hand us blessing after blessing, is not biblical either.  

Waiting

A correlation exists between our level of belief and our amount of patience. If we believe God for situations in our lives, we will be able to wait patiently for Him to respond. However a lack of patience may indicate we don’t really trust God.

Isaiah 30:18 in the Amplified Bible also describes how we should wait for God:

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His joy, and His unmatchless, unbroken companionship]!   ~ Isaiah 30:18 (AMP)

 

The most amazing part is that God is waiting also. He is expecting and looking and longing to be gracious to us. As we wait for Him, filled with faith in His ability and goodness, He begins to act on our behalf.

Psalm 5:3 describes what our attitude should be while we wait:

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

 

Waiting on God often means ceasing our activity. It doesn’t mean letting go of our responsibilities or letting our world turn to chaos, but it does mean no longer striving to make things happen. Waiting on God means trusting Him to intervene in our situations and to direct our future. 

Faith Motivators

There are many reasons why we would want to move away from our unbelief towards a constant state of believing God.

• Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
• The incredible greatness of God’s power is available to us who believe Him (Ephesians 1:19).
• The more we believe God, the more likely we will see His power demonstrated in our lives. According to our faith it will be done to us (Matthew 9:29)

Overcoming Unbelief

To attack busyness at the root, we must confess our unbelief and ask God to increase our faith. That’s exactly what a grief-stricken father did in the New Testament (Mark 9:14-24). Jesus came upon a group of His disciples arguing because they were unable to cast a demon out of a boy. This was a definite problem, because Jesus had given them that very power and they had cast out many demons on their travels through the villages (Mark 6:13). Jesus called them faithless and then demanded they bring the boy to Him. The boy’s father told Jesus all about his son’s symptoms, and then asked Jesus to “have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “If I can?” You can almost hear the sarcasm in Jesus’ voice. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father blurts out his response in sheer desperation, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!

At first glance, his outburst seems contradictory. But this father recognized that faith isn’t that simple, it wasn’t merely you have it or you don’t. He had faith, but he also knew it needed an increase. These are the very words we must take to our Father. Help me overcome my unbelief. Help me to believe that you are able and willing to provide for me. Help me to believe that You are in control. Help me to believe that You will fulfill Your purposes in and through me.

When we believe that God can and will move mountains, we will stop exhausting ourselves trying to move them on our own. As we begin to allow God the opportunity to prove Himself, His faithfulness will give us the courage to trust Him the next time.

And bit by bit faith begins to replace unbelief.

Reflections for Being Still Today:  What is the difference between believing in God and believing God? When you examine the root of your own busyness, do you find any traces of unbelief there? How well do you wait on God? In what area of your life is God calling you to abandon your own efforts and trust Him instead? Scripture for Being Still Today: Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.   ~ Psalm 5:3 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Spend some time in prayer today. Ask God to increase your faith in a certain area of your life. Choose to believe He will accomplish His purposes for you and they will be good.

Control freak.

You’ve probably heard the term. This label describes a person who is driven to control the events and people around them. Control freaks often have their hands in multiple situations simultaneously, trying desperately to manipulate the outcome. It’s so hard for control freaks to let go and perhaps hand over the reins to someone else. What if it won’t get done the way we would do it? What if it doesn’t get done at all?

One could argue that handing responsibilities over to another human is risky, but what about our faithful God? Worse than being unwilling to surrender control to people, is the refusal to surrender control to God.

At the core of the compulsion to control is the sin of lack of surrender.

When we are in control of our lives, God isn’t.

When we refuse to relinquish control, our hearts are not surrendered. Biblical surrender means laying aside our desires and our need to control, to follow the will of God. It means trusting Him so completely that we don’t have to try to make things happen for ourselves.

Making Life Happen

God controls the course of world events. He removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars (Daniel 2: 21). God opens doors and He closes others. He alone determines the future. Why then do we scurry around trying desperately to make life happen?

My impatience often contributes to my need to control. When God is seemingly taking a long time to intervene in a situation, I decide to “help” Him. I push through doors that He has not opened. I make things happen instead of waiting on the leading of the Holy Spirit. I give my own advice to people instead of waiting for a God-directed Word. I commit to ministry without asking God to see if it’s truly what He would have me do. This is not a soul at rest.

Those who have surrendered fully to God have no need to make life happen. They trust Him completely and rest in the assurance that He has the world and their lives safely in the palm of His hand.

Weighing the Options

Have you ever found yourself praying for direction about a decision you need to make, sensing God’s answer, and then weighing the options? Sometimes I throw God’s opinion in with the rest of the advice I’ve collected and begin to weigh the pros and cons. I count the cost. Would the blessing I receive be worth the sacrifice I need to make to obey? Could I modify God’s directions slightly and still end up with the same results, but use my own path instead?

How much can I surrender to Him and yet still remain in control?

God’s direction is not His opinion, it is His command. Anything less is disobedience.

Trust Issue

Why is surrendering completely to God so hard?

It may come down to a trust issue. We don’t doubt His ability to work all things together for good in our lives; we doubt His willingness to do so. We do not trust in the goodness of God.

We may say that God is good, and we may even believe that He is to others, but do we believe that God is good to us personally? My history, filled with the many times I’ve taken my own way, proves I don’t believe God desires to be good to me. God’s goodness does not guarantee that all that happens to us will be good, but in the midst of difficult situations, do we trust that God is using them to bring about His best for us?

Romans 8:28 may be a familiar verse, but do we live like we believe it? If we did, we would trust Him which would lead to complete surrender. We wouldn’t have to frantically control outcomes, we could wait for God to bring the victory each time.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.    ~ Romans 8:28 (NLT)

 

 The psalmist was convinced of God’s goodness. “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).  The first two words of the following verse characterize the life of a person who is convinced of God’s goodness:

Wait patiently.

Automatic Yes

A person who has surrendered their lives completely to God says yes before they even know what the question is. They have already settled in their hearts that when God asks them to do something, they will obey, without hesitation. Even through they may awaken each morning an independent, wilful person, they soon get down on their knees and humbly submit their will to God. Then when a question of obedience arises throughout the day, the answer is automatic. The issue has been settled. Unconditional surrender.

How Do We Get There?

I believe it’s a process, at least for most. Little by little, we die to ourselves and ask God to take over more and more of our lives. As we begin to trust Him with a little, He will prove Himself faithful, giving us the faith to trust Him with more. Eventually, we will get to a place of total abandonment of self and desire to live for God alone. In that place we will recognize the foolishness of our previous reluctance to surrender control. We will wish we had come to that point long ago. We will realize it’s a place of total freedom in Christ. 

We know we have surrendered our lives completely to God when:

• There is very little time between hearing God’s voice and our obedience.
• We trust in His goodness, even in the midst of difficult situations (Psalm 27:13).
• We are no longer driven to manipulate situations. Instead we rest in God and trust Him to show us the way to go (Isaiah 30:21).
• Our desires no longer matter. His fame and glory is the desire of our hearts (Isaiah 26:8).

Confess Scripture

The Word of God is alive and active. It has the power to change lives. Meditating on and confessing the following Scriptures out loud will begin to move you more fully towards surrender.

1) Admit that you do not have the right to control your life.

“I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course” (Jeremiah 10:23).

2) Trust that God will give you the ability to surrender. It’s only through His power.

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

3) Relinquish control

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you” (Psalm 143:8).

Reflections for Being Still Today: How have you tried to “make life happen” in the past? What was the result? Do you believe God longs to be good to you? To you trust His goodness for your life? What areas of your life do you find it difficult to surrender completely to God? How will you know when you’ve surrendered your life totally to God? Scripture for Being Still Today: “I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.”  ~Jeremiah10:23 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Give your day over to the Lord. Ask Him to lead, guide and direct, then make the decision now to follow, no matter what the day brings.

In our society, busyness is often equated with significance.

We assume the busier we are, the more important we must be. If our in-box is flooded, the more friends we must have. If every minute of our day is scheduled, the more significant we must be. The spirit of this age has deluded us into thinking our level of busyness is equal to our self-worth.  We walk around all puffed up, with our busyness as badges of honour on our sleeves.

During our first week, I shared about a time in my life when I over-committed my time, and consequently how God brought me to the end of myself. Sadly, I’ve gone through this cycle of over-commitment resulting in exhaustion many times to varying degrees. So much so that it caused me to ask why. What is driving me to cram my time with activities to the extent that God has to intervene to save me from myself?

 

When I reflect on why I’ve made commitments to things, two underlying motives surface.

• I over-commit because I believe I can do it all.
• I over – commit because I believe no one can do it as well as I can.

It’s the oldest sin in the book.

Pride.

At the core of my compulsion to over-commit is the sin of pride.

As hard as this is to face, when we over-commit our time, we may be operating out of pride.

Myth #1 – I Can Do It All

God reminds us in Scripture of how fragile and weak we are.

• He remembers we are only dust (Psalm 103:14b). 
• Our days on earth are like wildflowers, we bloom and soon die (Psalm 103:15). 
• Our lives are no longer than the width of our hands. Our entire lifetimes are only a moment. Each of us is but a breath (Psalm 39:5).

If this is the truth of Scripture, why is it that we then assume that we are superhuman? What makes us think we have unlimited energy to do everything we or others want us to do?

Pride prevents us from accepting our own limitations, admitting that we need rest and refreshment on occasion.

God purposefully designed us in a way that we wouldn’t be able to do it all. He created us to live in community. No one person has been given all gifts and abilities, therefore we need to rely on each other.

Myth #2 – No One Can Do It As Well As Me

There are those of us who have a hard time releasing control of a situation to other people. What if the task won’t be done as well or worse yet, what if it won’t get done at all? Pride assumes that we can accomplish a task better than anyone else and to relinquish any kind of responsibility would be risking quality.

Pride in Accomplishments

The seemingly innocent question, “What did you do today?” can be a means by which we compare ourselves to others. As the other person is relaying the events of their day we are mentally evaluating their productivity against our own. Pride enters our hearts when we conclude that we’ve accomplished more than they have. We have assumed our worth is equal to our accomplishments.

Scripture views this differently.

• James1:11 says, “The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and fails, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.” 
• “…and all our busy rushing ends in nothing (Psalm 39:6b). 
• Isaiah 26:12b says, “…all we have accomplished is really from you.”

The last verse continues to humble me every time I read it. All we have accomplished is really from God. Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). It is God who gives us our skills and abilities. It is God who smooths the path ahead of us (Isaiah 26:7). And it is God who grants us our very breath.

The Truth

The truth stands in stark contrast to the impure motives we talked about. We can’t do it all. We have limitations. And there are many people who can do a job equally as well or better than we can. When pride leads us to over-commit and stretch ourselves so thin, it will eventually lead to a fall.

Slaying the Beast of Pride

John the Baptist was a messenger who prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry on earth. Jesus said, “of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John” (Luke 728). He was the greatest of all the prophets, and yet John told the crowds, that someone was coming who was much greater than he was. He confessed that he was “not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals” (John 1:27). John the Baptist knew his position in relation to Jesus.

We cannot enter the presence of God with an arrogant attitude. God says that He lives in the high and holy place with the lowly and humble (Isaiah 57:15).

Pride vanishes when we truly recognize who God is. When we fully understand His greatest, our own pales in comparison. Comprehending His flawless nature highlights our obvious sinfulness. Meditating on His invincible power reveals our own limitations. When He is glorified and exalted in our lives, we understand that we are only dust (Psalm 103:14).

Scripture tells us that those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:11).

Could your compulsion to over-commit be rooted in pride?

Reflection for Being Still Today: Can you identify with the two myths for over-committing? When have they been true in your own life? How does pride affect your life, particularly in the area of your daily schedule? How do you recognize pride creeping into your life? Scripture for Being Still Today: ”The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.”   ~ Isaiah 57:15 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Carve out some time today to be still. Sit in a favourite chair with a steaming mug. Take a bubble bath. Walk outdoors to experience some quiet. Think about your motives for filling your calendar. Ask the Lord to examine your heart and point out any impure motivations lurking there.

 

There was a season in my life, a few years ago, where everything was up in the air.

My job was uncertain, our financial situation was less than secure, major decisions were pending about our children’s’ education as well as their child care situation, and my husband’s physical health was not good.

For a planner, this is unbearable.

There were so many questions about our family’s future and so few answers. I cried out to God continually about these situations, asking Him to give us direction. I desperately wanted stability in just even one of these areas. I wanted to be able to make plans, but couldn’t because of the many unknowns.

Despite my prayers, the uncertainty continued. Gradually, I began to realize that God was taking away my security and my ability to plan my life, so that I would lean on Him instead. He wanted me to learn from experience that when everything in my life began to shake, He was my only true Foundation. He wanted me to abandon my compulsion for planning my own life, put my faith in Him, and surrender to His plans.

My Plans or God’s?

We all have goals and dreams – things we would like to do in our lifetimes. Some of them are given to us by God, while others are not. Ambition is a good thing; but selfish ambition is planning apart from God.

At the core of my planning obsession is the sin of selfish ambition.

I find when I follow my own plans, I very often run out of time. God has given us enough time to accomplish the things He has planned for us to do.

If our day ends before our tasks do, would it be safe to assume that we’ve committed to some things outside of the perfect will of God for us? I’m not saying we will never have busy days and hope to get things accomplished that, for one reason or another, just don’t happen. But if consistently we are running out of time in our days, perhaps we are trying to do more than He intends. God gave twenty-four hours a day to each person and He doesn’t expect us to accomplish more than that timeframe allows. If we are too busy, perhaps we are not faithfully stewarding the time God has entrusted to us.

Another way to tell if you are following your own plans or God’s is the sense of fulfillment you feel as a result. Our own plans do not yield the same result in terms of inner peace, joy and satisfaction.

Futile

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.   ~ James 4:13-16 (NLT)

 

There is no point in making plans without God, because He controls the future. How do we know what our lives will be like tomorrow? Any plans we make are assumptions that life will be the same next week as it is today, and we all know there are no guarantees.  

Sorrow Awaits

Isaiah 30:1-5 brings strong conviction to this approach to life.

“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins. For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade. But by trusting in Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced. For though his power extends to Zoan and his officials have arrived in Hanes, all who trust in him will be ashamed. He will not help you. Instead, he will disgrace you.”     ~ Isaiah 30:1-5 (NLT)

 

 This passage in the Amplified Bible adds confusion to the list of outcomes. How often I become confused by situations in my life! When I reason the pros against the cons of a decision, or ask advise from people who are close to me, I end up more confused than when I began. God is telling me not to rely on my devises, but instead to consult Him in my planning. It terrifies me to think I carry out plans that are contrary to God’s. I have left God’s paths to follow my own (Isaiah 53:6).

Only sorrow awaits those who rely on their own human strength to plan their lives. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Choosing God’s Plans

We can do many good things in our lifetimes, but if they are not the things God has planned for us (Ephesians 2:10), we’ve missed our purpose. God’s plans for us are always good. They may not feel good all the time, but He always has our best in mind (Jeremiah 29:11). We give up the good to gain the better when we exchange our plans for His. God’s plans for our lives are beyond our wildest imaginations. Often the things He has in mind for us to do are the ones we become most passionate about. He placed those passions and desires in our hearts as part of who we are and He is the One who gives us that feeling of joy, fulfillment and accomplishment when we are operating in our area of passion.

God’s plans are guaranteed to come to pass (Isaiah 46:10). My own are not. It makes far more sense to trust in God’s plans for my life, than to rely on my own.

Scripture tells us how to choose God’s plans:

•  “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” Luke9:23 (emphasis mine).
•  “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Matthew 16:25 emphasis mine).

Then following question is crucial when turning from selfish ambitions:

What does God want me to do with my life?

When we ask this of ourselves we are faced with the next dilemma; to obey or not to obey? Will we surrender our own plans and dreams for the ones God has for us?

The only safe ambition is seeking God’s plans for our lives. Planning our future apart from God is selfish ambition. Let the words of Jeremiah 10:23 reach deep into your heart:

I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own.

We are not able to plan our own course.

Reflections for Being Still Today: Think about the plans you have for today, next week, next month and next year. Would you describe them as God’s plans or your own? How can you tell the difference? When have you made plans that are contrary to God’s? When have you made alliances that are not directed by His Spirit? What was the outcome? What would it take for you to surrender your plans to God, and seek Him for His will for your life? Scripture for Being Still Today: ”I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.”   ~ Jeremiah 10:23 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Look at your calendar today. What are you doing for your own selfish ambition and which activities are ministries God has given you to do?

For the next few days we are going to muster every ounce of courage we have to face what could be disturbing truth. We’ve already said that God does not approve of constant busyness. It is an offense to Him. No where in Scripture does it command us to “be busy.” In fact, busyness is a distraction from the very things of God. It goes against His very nature. Busyness can only end in exhaustion, joylessness, and deterioration of relationships, including our relationship with God. The reality is, if we are consumed with busyness, there is a sin issue somewhere. Beneath our reasons, rationale, and excuses lurks some sort of sin that is driving us to this compulsion. Only when we recognize this sin for what it is, can we cooperate with God to pull it out by the roots and remove it permanently from our lives. Let the digging begin!

 

At one point in my life this one ran so deep in me that it drove most of what I did – trying to gain the approval of others.

(And to be honest, I’m still tempted towards this more often than I’d care to admit.)

I would committing to things I hadn’t sensed God’s direction in – things I didn’t really even want to do – only to attempt to please another person. I would verbally agree with the opinions of people, even if I don’t share them, so they will continue to like me. I would strive for perfection in everything, so others will be impressed. There was an overwhelming compulsion within me to please ALL people ALL the time. Rationally, I knew this wasn’t possible, but often I exhausted myself trying.

Perhaps you can identify.

At the core of an obsession with perfection is the sin of approval addiction.

Underneath Perfectionism Lies Approval Addiction

On our third day in we discussed perfectionism. When we admit an addiction to perfectionism, the next step is to dig a littler deeper to examine why. What is the driving force behind the desire to create an illusion of perfection in our lives? Since God knows our hearts and is able to see the illusion for what it is, our efforts are clearly not for Him. Who else might this false front be for?

At the root of perfectionism is the desire to please people, to gain their approval by creating a façade of faultless behaviour. It’s an illusion because no one is perfect. Approval addiction is basing our self worth on what we believe others think about us, which may not be what they actually think at all. We may be basing our entire value on a lie. We are driven to perfection out of fear of rejection, judgment, criticism, or disapproval.

It all comes down to motives. Are we striving to do things well to please other people or to please God? We can easily answer this to say of course we are living to please God; after all, we are Christians. But when we stop to carefully consider why we make every effort to attain perfection, who are we constantly striving for? Who is our audience? Do we love human praise more than the praise of God (John 12:43)?

Praise from people is addictive. It can drive our thoughts, words and actions. And like all addiction this one too is never satisfied. Receiving praise can quench the thirst for a time, but it soon wears off and we find ourselves seeking more and more admiration. People-pleasing is a prison, it does not allow us to live in the freedom God gives.

Another problem with people pleasing is that it’s exhausting! Everyone has a different opinion. To try to match our decisions to the opinions of each person around us is impossible. We may talk to one person about a situation and decide to heed their advice until we talk to the next person and receive different advice. Consulting too many people causes confusion and a lot of time and energy is wasted. We end up fence-sitting, never really committing to one course of action for fear of disapproval or rejection from people. We remain neutral in issues, not wanting to take a side for the same reason. Slowly our identity is lost.

 One sure way to know if you seek the approval of people more than the approval of God is your state of exhaustion. People pleasers push themselves beyond reasonable boundaries. God does not put unrealistic demands on His children; only other people do that. God gives us enough time and energy to do what He’s called us to do. If we add to that list, we run ourselves ragged. People pleasing also leads to pretending. Wearing masks to present a false face, one in which you believe others will like. When we pretend to be someone we are not or do things we may not want to do out of obligation we end up feeling resentful. Ultimately people pleasers compromise themselves.

When we are living for the praise of people, our worst fear is disapproval. God has challenged me recently to imagine my worst fears in reality. What will happen if people disapprove of me? Will it change who I am? Will it change God’s love for me? Will it change my purpose in life? Will the world end? Of course not. The only result is that I will not receive the praise and recognition I crave. What is worth more to me, man’s favour or God’s?

Biblical Examples

The apostle Paul was very straightforward about this issue. He told the church in Galatia, “Obviously I am not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant” (Galatians 1:10). In another portion of Scripture Paul writes, “Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts…As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else” (1 Thessalonians 2:4,6).

Scripture says we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). We will end up loving one and hating the other. God demands exclusive worship. We have been created by Him and for Him. He did not create us to live for the approval of people around us; we are to live for Him alone.  

Jesus was not interested in the approval of others (John 5:41). He only did the will of His Father in order to attain His approval.

There are many things I’m guessing Jesus wouldn’t have done had his primary motivation been to please the masses. He wouldn’t have confronted their way of life, He wouldn’t have challenged them in their religiosity, and He certainly wouldn’t have gone to the cross. In short, He would not have accomplished His mission. Jesus admitted that His presence on earth was “not to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). His teachings divided the righteous from the unrighteous and the faithful from the unfaithful. He certainly did not limit His actions to those things that would gain people’s approval.

And the same is true for us. If we live solely for those around us, we will not accomplish our God-given mission. God has given each of us a purpose and it is impossible for us to carry out that task if we are living for the approval of others. We only become distracted and confused – too timid to rock the boat. James describes a person with divided loyalty like a wave blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6-8). Living in God’s will often causes tension because it forces those around us to consider their own lives and ultimately make a decision about Christ

God’s Approval

As children of God, we automatically have God’s approval. He may not approve of everything we do, if we choose to disobey, but He made us and He has said, “It is very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Thankfully, when we choose to live our lives for God’s approval, we don’t have to be perfect. God covers our imperfections and we can rest in His unconditional love. We do not have to work for God’s approval, all that He requires of us is that we believe (John 6:29). 

Perhaps we would live more like Jesus, confronting people’s choice of lifestyle, challenging them in their empty religion, being willing to suffer for their betterment and standing up for what we believe.

Make a Change

One day we will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ and all of our deeds will be laid bare (Matthew 16:27). And it will be God who will be sitting on the throne, not any other person. We are accountable to God, not people. Then it makes sense that we would live our lives for God instead of those around us.

Repentance is the vehicle through which we turn from our sins, admit our failings and turn towards God. It involves not only a change of thinking, but changed behaviour as well. Perhaps you – like me – need to turn from the efforts of pleasing people by confessing it to God. Ask God to enable you to live for Him instead of those around you. Ask Him to give you a sense of His unconditional love.

Reflections for Being Still Today: Whose approval drives the majority of your actions? Is it God or people? How can you tell? Why is it impossible to serve God and win the approval of all people at the same time? How might Jesus’ life on earth been different if He lived solely for the people around Him? What would be different about your life if you lived solely for the approval of God and not people? Scripture for Being Still Today: ”Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”    ~ John 6:29 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Take some time today to take a motive inventory. Who are you seeking praise/approval from?

 

 

Resentment does not look good on anyone. Bitterness is not becoming. Anger is not appealing.

When life gets too busy, resentment can envelope us like an old, ugly robe which becomes obvious to everyone. 

When we are in that place of over-activity, we may begin to resent people for their dependence on us. We resent the church for asking us to serve so much.We resent our families for expecting so much of us, and we resent God for giving us too much to do.

Lurking at the end of our busy road is resentment.

Some who are over-scheduled are people-pleasers. The reality is a people-pleaser and will almost always say yes when asked to do something to avoid disappointing those around them. Then they get too busy. And then they start to resent those who asked them in the first place. 

Resentment is like a bitter root. It takes hold deep and grows, choking out joy and peace.

When we feel ourselves beginning to shift blame to another person for our over-crowded schedules, it is a warning sign that bitterness and resentment are setting in.

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.   ~ Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)

 

And it causes trouble. Trouble in relationships. Trouble in our walk with God.

The only way to remove roots of bitterness and resentment is to ask the Gardener of our souls to rip them up by the roots. It does no good to mow over top of them. They only grow back with a vengeance.

When you find yourself blaming or resenting another for the pace of your life, ask the Lord to remove that from your life and help you see the true cause of your over-activity.

Reflections for Being Still Today: Have you ever felt resentment toward those around you or toward God for expecting too much of you? Have you ever shifted blame for your over-scheduled life? How can you begin to recognize bitterness and resentment taking root in your life and ask God to pull it up? Scripture for Being Still Today: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”   ~ Hebrews 12:15 (NIV) Practice Being Still Today: When making decisions today – big or small – pause to ask God what He would have you do. Resist the pressure of trying to please people and seek to please One to whom you will give an account.

God speaks in a still small voice. 

God spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 20:12).

God spoke softly to young Samuel while he was sleeping (1 Samuel 3:1-10).

God revealed Himself to David as he was tending sheep in the stillness of a meadow.

Similarly, God speaks to us in the quietness of a heart at rest.

Lurking at the end of our busy road is one of the most devastating outcomes of all: the inability to hear God.

God Speaks

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.   ~ John 10:3-5 (NLT)

 

In John 10 we learn how God speaks to His children and how we, in turn, recognize His voice. As His children, we are able to distinguish His voice from among the many in this world. We follow Him because we know His voice, and we run from other voices because we do not know them.

Other scriptures also teach us that God speaks to His children. Psalm 4:3 says, “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” Psalm 17:6 says, “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Hebrews 12:25a says, “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the one who is speaking.” Isaiah 52:6 says, “But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”

 

There is no doubt that God speaks.

I believe God speaks to us through His Spirit daily. But do we hear Him? A dynamic, intimate relationship can only happen with the Father when there is two-way communication. I don’t believe a loving God instructs us to come to Him in prayer and then chooses not to answer. Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks words of direction or warning, other times He reveals God’s character, and still other times its whispers of love.

The question is not, Does God speak? But rather, Are we listening for His voice?

It terrifies me to think that my preoccupation with busyness hinders my ability to hear from my Father. There are dozens of voices in this world all clamouring for our attention, all demanding our time and focus. And we “taskers,” get distracted with the voices. We are too busy going here, going there, doing this and doing that, and we miss the words God has for us.

Busyness drowns out the still small voice of God.

Walking with God

Walking happens when we put one foot in front of the other. It is literally a step-by-step process. The same is true of walking with God. He speaks to us about the next step we need to take and then we move forward in obedience. To walk with God, we have to hear from Him. We need His words of wisdom, direction, guidance, discipline, encouragement, comfort, and love. When we can’t hear from God, we miss so much of the life He desires to give us.

God can see the road ahead. He knows what circumstances will come into our lives tomorrow, a month from now, and a year from now. He can advise us about which decision to make because He knows the outcomes of all of our options. He knows what we need most when our world crashes around us. He knows the strength of character that will be developed during our difficulties. He knows the blessing He is ready to pour out if we choose to follow Him in faith in that decision. When we are too busy to hear Him, we are taking our lives into our own hands. In reality, we have rushed past Him and are determined to make blind decisions on our own.

Walking with God means asking and hearing from Him in everything.

Purposeful Positioning

We must get our hearts and lives in a position to hear from God.

Most days our bodies outrun our souls and we desperately need to pause to let our souls catch up. Our lives are not in a position to hear from God when we are consumed with busyness. This doesn’t mean we rid our lives completely of activity. God can and does speak in the midst of everyday, noisy life. But if we rush from one activity to the next with no time for reflection in between, how do we expect to hear from God?

The first step is to be intentional about the way we schedule our lives. We need to purposefully allow time in our schedules to listen for the voice of God. Here are some ideas:

• Time at the beginning of the day to connect with God. This is our opportunity to receive all we need for what He already knows we will encounter that day. We surrender our day and our plans to Him in the morning and ask for His direction in our decisions. I like to get up before the rest of my house awakens and have a few moments of quiet (a precious commodity in a house with young children!).
• Time at the end of the day to debrief with Him. What happened today? Where did I take advantage of opportunities to bless another person? What did I do that I need to ask forgiveness for? How can I see the hand of God at work in my life today?
• Time throughout the day to stop and experience God’s presence. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I often seek a quiet place where I can get alone with God, even for a few minutes and ask Him to give me His peace, His direction, or whatever it is I feel I need at the moment.
• Time in the midst of activity to quiet your thoughts and listen for the still small voice within. We can be in the midst of any ordinary task and be listening for Him with our spiritual ears.
• Extended time spent in the presence of God. Spiritual retreats are extended periods of time (whether it be an afternoon, a day or a few days) where we can intentionally schedule some silence and get before God. These times are refreshing and refocusing.

When we allow space for silence in our lives, our hearts come into alignment and we are able to hear from God. We will begin to recognize His still small voice in the midst of this busy world.

Reflections for Being Still Today: Do you regularly intentionally pause to listen to how the Spirit may be speaking to you? How to you distinguish the voice of God from all the other noise in this world? Scripture for Being Still Today: ”The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”   ~ John 10:3-5 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Carve out some time today to be alone – even if it means locking yourself in your closet! Ask God to speak to you as you move about your day.

 

If there is one thing I’m keenly aware of, it’s that my busyness is robbing me of joy. 

When the ultimate goal is to get items checked off of my list, I hurry through the present task just to get it done and to move on to the next one.

There is no joy.

When I view my life as an endless list of tasks to be accomplished, I miss the beauty in the moment. I don’t pause long enough to have a silly conversation with my three-year-old, I don’t take the time to linger in the splendour of creation, and I certainly don’t stop to rest my weary body. There is simply too much to do. But I wonder how much joy I’ve missed because of my busyness. 

Lurking at the end of our busy road is joylessness. 

Not Fully Present

We planners often look forward to tomorrow at the expense of today. Anticipation of the future is a good thing, but it can go too far. The tragedy occurs when we waste today wishing tomorrow were here. 

When we rush from one activity to the next, we fail to live in the present. We are always living in anticipation of the future and therefore we miss the joy God offers in the moment. 

God is showing me (or rather, I’m beginning to learn) that incredible joy can be found in the ‘ordinariness’ of every day life. The brilliance of a sunrise, the smell of clean laundry, the newness of freshly fallen snow, or the sacredness of tiny hands folded while a small voice whispers innocent words to God.

I’ve missed so many snuggles with my babies, so many delightful conversations with my toddlers, many tender moments with my husband, and many gentle whispers from my Father. I can’t get those moments back. When we choose to slow down and focus on the present, on this moment in time, we will begin to experience all that life has to offer.

To taste joy, we can’t be in a hurry. We need to learn to live where we are.

Enjoying Every Day Life

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).    ~ John 10:10 (AMP)

 

Do you truly believe God wants you to enjoy your life? Think about that for a moment. Do you believe God wants you to have fun? Do you believe God brings things into your life solely for your enjoyment?

Whether or not we choose to believe it, Scripture says that Jesus came so that we might have and enjoy our lives (John 10:10 AMP). It is His good pleasure to give us a life that is rich and satisfying.

David’s listed several reasons to praise God in Psalm 103, and he says of God, “He fills my life with good things” (Psalm 103:5a). David recognized that God’s desire was to bless him and to cause him to enjoy his life by filling it with good things. 

God-sized Dreams

We experience joy when we are moving towards the dreams God has for us. But when life gets busy, and we get distracted by all the details, we can easily lose sight of these dreams. The never-ending list of tasks slowly eats away at our joy and the unique passions God has placed within us.

And the reverse is also true – these dreams come back when life slows. 

A number of years ago, I was sick and spent a few days in bed. As the pace my life came to a grinding halt, I was able to think and dream again about what God has called me to do. And my desire to write came back with intensity. There was time and space in my life for that passion to rise to the surface again. 

Experiencing God

Joy is experienced when we discover the presence, power, and purposes of God in every day situations.

We can’t do this if we are continually operating at warp speed. When our lives are too busy we miss the presence of God and therefore the incredible joy that comes with experiencing Him personally.

God’s presence brings joy because He is joy.

Psalm 16:11b (AMP) says, “in Your presence is fullness of joy.” God is always with us; however we don’t always experience His presence. We are not always fully aware of His power at work in our lives and circumstances. We do not always recognize His purposes for us in the present moment. When we slow and become aware of His presence we experience joy.

Slowing is what makes joy possible. Will you slow with me today?

Reflections for Being Still Today: What is your level of joy when you live life at a frantic pace? What are some small joys available in your ordinary life that you may miss due to your over-activity? How can you slow today to experience the joy God gives in the present? Scripture for Being Still Today: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”    ~ John 10:10 (AMP) Practice Being Still Today: Sit on the floor and play with a child – follow their pace – the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these … or … take a walk and pause to notice the details in creation … or … do something else that is sure to give you joy. Slow to enjoy today!

If you’ve just joined us we are in the midst of a series for the month of October about Being Still.We are discussing the hows and whys of a life of busyness and the hows and whys of finding rest in God.This week we are looking at the outcomes of constant over-activity and busyness. What is lurking at the end of this busy road?

 

My baby can be awake in her crib, but I am determined to get the laundry put away before I go get her. A friend can be visiting, and I’m unable to make eye contact with her during our conversation because I’m too busy in the kitchen. My toddler can be telling me a story, and I simply nod in acknowledgement while I continue my task.

Have you been there? Can you relate?

The truth is people who are consumed with activity often choose tasks before relationships. Please don’t misunderstand – these same people highly value relationships, but sometimes actions speak louder than words. If our focus is the task at hand, relationships with those we hold dear may suffer because of our compulsion to busyness. 

Lurking at the end of our busy road is broken relationships. 

Today we are going to look at how busyness affects two relational areas in our lives, our relationships with other people and our relationship with God.

Relationships with People

One of the things my husband loves for me to do with him is just sit beside him shoulder-to-shoulder while he is watching television or working on something. For him, this enhances our relationship. But often, I am far too busy to sit. My children want to show me things while they are playing. They want me to stop what I’m doing, kneel down to their level to see whatever it is they are excited about. My friend wants me to express my genuine care and concern by sitting down with her and listening while she speaks.

This deterioration of relationships doesn’t happen immediately. Over time, people in our lives may begin to sense we value our work more –  that we prefer to get things done instead of focusing on them. And then they simply stop trying. My children may stop sharing with me. My husband may pull away. My friend may turn to someone else for advice. And I’ll be left alone with my tasks.

I’m humbled by the example of Christ. When He walked this earth, He didn’t rush from task to task, quickly healing one person, stopping to correct another, rushing to get to the synagogue to teach. And He had reason to hurry. He had been given the most important mission of anyone on earth; bring the gospel. Instead He stopped to minister individually to people. He looked each person in the eye, reached into their lives and touched their hearts. He cared for them right where they were. Nothing was too important to Him to get in the way of connecting authentically with those whose lives the Father prompted Him to touch.  

The account of the woman at the well is a perfect example of this (John 4:1-42). Instead of taking the longer route to avoid Samaria like most Jews, Jesus chose to travel through Samaria on His way to Galilee. He orchestrated the events that day to ensure He was alone at the well when the Samaritan woman came out to draw water. For Jesus, a Jewish man, to be alone and speak with a Samaritan woman was forbidden on many levels. But Jesus brushed society’s unspoken expectations aside to minister to her heart. He took the time out of His busy schedule to stop and look her straight in the eye. He reached right into her life and addressed her greatest need. He offered her Living Water for the void in her life she had been desperately trying to fill with shallow relationships.

How can we more closely follow the example of Christ? How you begin to follow Jesus in this area may look different than someone else. Maybe you need to make a conscious effort to stop all tasks when speaking with people. Maybe it’s regularly thinking about people in your life and how you can more intentionally connect with them. Maybe it’s reducing your commitments to take a friend out for lunch.

When my schedule is too full, I feel like I don’t have time to reach out to those around me. The truth is, God has given us enough time to invest in the lives of those He has placed around us. The priority is to love God and love others, not to love God and get things done. It’s possible to be task-focused and still cultivate good relationships.

Relationship with God

Relationships require time. Our relationship with God is no different, however that’s one resource we slaves to busyness are short on. We have little time. 

I truly believe excessive busyness is an offense to God. We communicate exactly where our priorities lie when the details of life crowd out our time with God. Throughout history, God continually warned the Israelites about their priorities. He told them repeatedly to keep Him first. We are given the same warning through the words of Jesus. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matthew 6:33).

These words have been well-used, perhaps losing their impact in every day life. Seeking God first means giving Him first place, not only in our lives in general, but in our days. It means guarding our time with Him and not allowing anything or anyone else to crowd that out. If you are a morning person, give a portion of your morning to Him. If you function better in the evenings, spend time with Him then. Developing our relationship with God is an investment in time. It literally means taking out your calendar and scheduling a daily appointment with God, then passionately guarding that time.

Scripture warns us again in 1 John 5:21 to keep ourselves from idols; “from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God” (AMP).

Busyness is an idol.

An addiction to activity can keep us running so fast that the time for nurturing relationship with God is eliminated. Even with the best of intentions, over-scheduled lives result in the deterioration of our relationship with God. God doesn’t want our money, our service, or our good deeds; He wants all of us, a holy and living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Time spent in His presence is the only way to enhance and deepen our relationship with our Father.

Perhaps one of the most sobering passages of Scripture in the Bible is Matthew 7:21-23.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

 

We can insert our own phrases into these passages. Lord, I served in the nursery in your name. I cooked meals for my family in your name. I visited friends in the hospital in your name.

We can do many good things in the name of Jesus and yet not know Him personally.If we are too busy doing things for God to spend time with God, we are too busy. Other things have moved into that place in our hearts due to God alone.

I want to know God and experience Him in my every day life. I trust you want the same. Let’s get off this busy road so we can avoid the broken relationships looming at the end.

Reflections for Being Still Today: What can you change to ensure your relationships aren’t damaged due to over-activity? What does your current schedule reveal about your relationship with God? Scripture for Being Still Today: ”Seek the Kingdom of God above all else.”  ~ Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Practice Being Still Today: Practice turning from tasks and looking people in the eye during your conversations with people today.