“We have become a nation of thoughtless rushers, intent on doing before thinking, and hoping what we do magically works out. If it doesn’t, we rush to do something else, something also not well thought-out, and then hope for more magic.” Len Holman spoke these words in critique of our culture’s tendency toward staying constantly busy. I think a shorter quote by John Maxwell captures the idea almost perfectly: “The greatest enemy of good thinking is busyness.” The truth is that our culture has adopted the mistaken idea that being busy is a virtue on the same level as being charitable, patient, or wise. We fill every moment of every day with work and other tasks, especially tasks that teach our kids to be over-busy. This is seen as good and right. Many people I know lament the state of busy living and would choose an escape from the treadmill of constant motion in everyday life if they could. It always strikes me funny when I ask how other pastors are doing and hear: “busy” as a sort of automatic answer. I do it, too. The problem is that being too busy keeps us from carefully considering what matters most, savoring the minutes of our life as they tick past, or sharing life with out loved ones. 3 times this weekend, my son has asked me to play a game with him. Unfortunately, my work obligations and the tasks required to finish moving across town has made this an impossibility. Being busy isn’t a good thing. I’m often too hurried to read a novel or think about some idea that has come to me. I am living life in the most beautiful place in the country, married to my best friend in the world and watching my kids sprout up like weeds. Keeping myself too busy to enjoy these elements of life is like gobbling down a great steak dinner without tasting it. It is foolishness. The problem is that everything around us is geared to keep us from stopping and enjoying life. I have a phone that puts my emails and messages in front of me at all hours. I can be reached through a phone call anywhere and anytime. Work, my kids’ programs, and other obligations keep me moving from morning to night. It’s easy to miss this truth because to notice it requires that we reflect on our circumstances for a while. I believe that this is why God included the command to take a sabbath day in the Ten Commandments. Jesus said that the sabbath day is for us to enjoy, not as a crushing weight in our lives. God wants us to stop, rest, and enjoy the creation. Failing to do so results in a life that is robbed of the best parts. The trick to freeing yourself from the never-ending march that is the over-busy life is to learn to prioritize the most important over the urgent and say “no” to things that are not near the top of the list. God, family, enjoying the world around us, and career are some of the most common choices. Once they have been selected, it’s important to set these aspects of life in order and spread time between them intentionally. There is always more work to do, but baby’s first steps, anniversaries, graduations, and other moments only come once. Life is more than filling time with tasks. We must celebrate the gifts that God has given us.
