As a pastor, I am constantly asked how my day has been, how my week is, or how I am doing. I appreciate those questions from church members who are concerned about me. Often, I will respond that I am so busy, I don't know if I'm coming or going. I speak to other pastors and we all share how busy we are. It seems that we try to be more busy than the next person to show how needed we are and how important we are. We seem to get our worth from how much we accomplish and how much we are running around looking busy. It is a good thing to work hard and get a lot done, but we have to make sure that our motives are right - that we don't engage in impression management so that others will think more highly of us.
Eugene Peterson, the author of The Message says that much of our busyness is actually idolatry and vanity. His words convicted me:
I am busy because I am vain. I want to appear important. Significant. What better way than to be busy? The incredible hours, the crowded schedule, and the heavy demands on my time are proof to myself – and to all who will notice – that I am important . . . I live in a society in which crowded schedules and harassed conditions are evidence of importance, so I develop a crowded schedule and harassed conditions. When others notice, they acknowledge my significance, and my vanity is fed.
Ouch. I see how I can get my identity and sense of self worth from how busy I am – from what I accomplish or do. But, all that God requires is that I come to Him. How much time do you spend with God? How many things do you say “yes” to and how many times do you say “no” to God? If you are worn out, stressed, overwhelmed, or harried, perhaps it is because you are carrying burdens that you were never meant to carry, all in an attempt to impress someone or prove your worth with your busyness and accomplishments. Only God satisfies.
At the end of our lives, will we reflect on how many appointments we kept, how much we ran around, and how many activities we and our kids were involved in. Or, will we remember times spent together laughing, times in God's presence, and times connecting with others in meaningful and spiritual ways? I know that it will be the latter. So much of what seems important to us in the moment will vanish with the wind. Let us focus on the things that God deems important: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). If we are going to be busy, let's be busy with doing God's will God's way - by relying upon His power.
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