The Idolatry of Busy-ness
I recently sent this email out to our volunteers:
Several people today commented how I looked "busy" at church. It's the nice way of saying that I either seemed unavailable, unapproachable, or there but not really present. I want to be everything but that at church with you and with the kids.
Today was a bit of a rough start to the new schedule, some of that my own fault for not prepping us for that but also because Sundays have a tendencies to run more like a circus than a church. Our morning meetings are often rushed, parents are rushing to get their kids out of group, the parking lot is full, and there are several other things that all converge on Sunday afternoons like prayer meetings, cell group meetings, choir, you name it it probably happens on Sunday. It's a perpetual problem that needs some order...
But the intention of this email is not to tell you about something that needs work at church that you already are well aware of, this email is a reminder to me and to us all to not make busy-ness an idol.
It's very subtle, but people were able to show me and help me recognize that busy-ness has become an idol--you have to admit, it's good to get things done, it feels good to have something that urgently needs your attention, at least you can control and be productive about certain things.
There were a few times this week that I totally shut God out, telling Him that I was too busy to spend more time with Him. In my mind, as long as I got the things that I was responsible for doing done, that was enough.
But I send this email out to you not only to confess, but to also urge you to do something that I'm going to practice more this week and as this year unfolds: Practicing the presence of God and the presence of people.
What does that mean? Basically it's to set a rhythm in your life so that you can be present in mind, body, and spirit with God and others.
Some ways that I'm going to do that:
- Instead of listening to music in the car, using my commute times as prayer times
- Finding a spot at my workplace (which happens to be church) to pray in solitude at a scheduled time of the day
- Memorizing the verse for the month as the kids are and using that as a meditative tool
- Taking time on my Sabbath (for me it's Mondays) to journal and reflect about the week
- Picking a couple of kids on my mind (or for you maybe it's your own kids) and lifting up prayers for them
As I dart around church every Sunday, I think about you all... I may not acknowledge it that much, but I notice your body language, your new blouse, shirt, or pair of shoes, glazed eyes from maybe some not so good sleep the night before, the intonation of your voices and how you are quicker or slower to speak on certain days than on others... and it all makes me wonder what your weeks must have been like.
My prayer for you tonight as I wrap up emails for this week and prepare for my Sabbath is that you would not get caught up in the idolatry of busy-ness, but would take time to BE WITH GOD and KNOW HE IS GOD and really see that He is GOD WITH US so that HIS PRESENCE WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR YOU yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
That's the goodness that I think we all truly seek, but often fill the void with busy-ness.
May His presence be your true blessing...
