Busyness is the reality of the world in which we live. It can also rob us of the truly great and significant moments in life. If we’re not careful, days when we haven’t seen our friends turn into weeks and months. We’re halfway to our car minutes after the benediction has been prayed at church. When we do actually make it to functions, our bodies are present but our minds are processing a hundred different things.
A mind-set of busyness can also affect our temperament. Our schedules are set up in a such a way that we hardly have any room for the unexpected. Our to-do list is long and our patience is short. It doesn’t take much to lose our temper. But if we continue doing life at the speed of light, we’ll miss out on those special opportunities to develop deep and lasting relationships.
In the chapters preceding today’s Scripture reading, Paul reminds us that we are members of God’s family—the church. In natural families, there are sure to be personality clashes, disagreements, and misunderstandings. It is the same within our spiritual family. Personalities collide, arguments arise, and misunderstandings occur. Which is why Paul encourages patience, an essential virtue that implies endurance or waiting, something that is not the easiest for many of us.
This continual bearing with one another is motivated by love. Love, Paul asserts in another passage, is characterized by patience (1 Corinthians 13:4). Enduring with one another in love also implies a continual cycle of extending forgiveness and receiving forgiveness. As we continually yield to the Spirit’s way of life, God cultivates patience in us (Galatians 5:23).
Doesn’t it seem that our busiest times coincide with the times when our family and friends need our presence the most? A call to patience includes making time for the people and things in our lives. Someone is getting married. Another’s parent or spouse has died. Another has received an unfavorable medical diagnosis, and the list goes on.
We can come up with a million reasons to excuse our presence. But if we’re not careful, we can gradually lose the intimacy of our relationships—a missed dinner here, a forgotten coffee date there. Before we know it, a whole season of life has gone by and we’ve missed out on the most important things. Cultivating relationships takes time, sacrifice, and intentionality on our part. But we will find that constantly showing up—being there for the mundane and momentous—will help us build rich and lasting relationships.
I was that person that was so busy and gone traveling and doing and doing…
I’m working from home now because of Covid, so my life has slowed down but I feel like I should be doing more. The guilt of not being busy is a problem That sounds crazy but if I’m being still or lazy I feel guilty. What do you think this is about?
putting others before Gods purpose for my life? Addition to busyness to feel fulfilled?
Oh Peggy you are right where I want to be again. I had 2 months off work with no income and have now been back to work for about 2 and a half months. I struggled with being still during my time off or so I thought….
I spent hours a day reading the bible and learning more about the Lord as well as working in my yard but never did get my house organized and cleaned. At the time I thought I was not still thinking of all the projects I should have been doing or had not accomplished.
Then I went back to work building up to 40 hours per week with the fear that I had to work all the hours I could while I had the opportunity. I have developed planter fasciitis which feels like I am walking on a rock under my Left heel every day being the most painful my first step out of bed each day. I long to be quarantined at home again. I am exhausted, behind on my projects at home and struggling to make intentional time with reading the bible.
"Chaos calls but what you really need is to just be. Just breath come and rest at my feet" That is a quote from a song on the radio right now. Savor your time at home and abide with the Lord. It is a sweet time that when life become busy again you will so miss and long for. It must be human nature to think the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Don’t question or feel guilty of where you are, know you are resting your head on the chest of Jesus. He will prepare you for what lies ahead and take care of all your needs.
Much love to you ?
Gina