Dealing with Busy

One of the things I've learned as an adult is that life never slows down. We anticipate seasons that will free us, but the tyranny of the urgent is ever lurking, demanding our time and attention. When someone remarks "you're so busy," I take slight offense. This has largely to do with my own neurosis, as what it translates to me is "you don't have time for anything else." It's true - I'm busy. In fact, I'm always busy. I don't often have nothing to do. I just don't like people telling me I'm busy. It reminds me of all the things I want to be doing but can't. And that bugs me. Cue the perfectionist.

Jesus didn't allow Himself to be defined by being busy. The story of Christ withdrawing from His busy ministry only to encounter a crowd of 5,000 and have compassion on them intrigues me (Matthew 14:13-21). But He also didn't do everything. He made choices. I'm always tempted to resign myself to busyness and then I remember I have choices to make, and these choices are daily, hourly, and sometimes by the minute. By grace, I will make choices that move beyond my own pride and selfishness, and approach the clarity of mission that Jesus had.