Mike Edmisten Follower of Jesus. Husband of Nicki. Father of Ryan & Brock. Communicator of the Word.

Busyness

The archenemy of spiritual authenticity is busyness. (Bill Hybels)

I've had that quote memorized for years. It is so simple and so true. But it is also hard to make a practical application of this truth in our lives.

This week is a prime example…for me, anyway. I can't remember a week when I've had more to do. I'm slamming at work, I'm going to Detroit immediately after church on Sunday, my family has a lot of commitments this week, etc. Busy, busy, busy.

How do we stay in tune with God's Spirit when life demands so much of us? The obvious answer is to cut some stuff out of our schedule. But my week isn't filled up with voluntary stuff that I can opt out of. It's all very real, very important commitments.

The good thing for me is that this week is busier than normal. If every week were like this, I would go insane. My family is normally quite busy, but this week feels like Barry Bonds busyness (aka, busyness on steroids).

How can I stay in step with God's Spirit this week?

A few things come to mind. First of all, I have one open evening this week. And it's going to stay open. Don't ask me to do anything on Tuesday night, because I'll turn it down. I will be at home that night, and I'll make no apologies for it. I used to feel guilty when I spent an evening at home. Felt like I should be working or "doing something." Thankfully, I have figured out the futility…no, the STUPIDITY of that way of thinking. If you feel guilty for being at home with your family, you've got issues. Trust me, they need you more than anybody else needs you.

Secondly, I've got to pace myself. When I look at my calendar, this week looks insane. But Jesus gave me some wise advice when he said, "Don't worry about tomorrow." (Matthew 6:34) The only day I can handle is today. I can plan and make preparations for tomorrow, but it's still ultimately out of my control. I need to focus on making the best use of my time now. If I don't manage my time well today, I'll pay for it tomorrow.

Thirdly, and most importantly, I still have to carve out a time to be still before God. (Psalm 46:10) On weeks like this, it seems like I don't have time for that. But the opposite is actually true. The busier we are, the more we HAVE to be still before God. Otherwise, things will spiral completely out of control.

Don't know if this helps anyone else, but it's been helpful for me to get some of this stuff down in writing. Helps me remember some important truths in the midst of the craziness.