I’m busy!

Be still and KNOW that I am God. Psalm 46:10

“I’m busy!” “I’m too busy!” “My calendar is full!” “I’ll call you when I’m free!” “Can’t make it! Can’t be in two places at the same time!” “Can you find someone else? My schedule is full!” ”No time left for you, On my way to better things!”

Ajith Fernando offers this observation: “Sometimes we are so rushed that we do not think straight because we do not have time to think reflectively.”

This condition filters into our ministry also. Henri Nouwen cautions, “In a society in which entertainment and distraction are such important preoccupations, ministers are also tempted to join the ranks of those who consider it their primary task to keep other people busy.”

We perceive the youth to be people to be kept OFF the streets by giving them worthwhile activities. We perceive the elderly as people who need to be kept ON the streets…to be kept active for mental and physical reasons.

Then comes Nouwen’s conclusion: “Ministers frequently find themselves in fierce competition with people and institutions who offer something more exciting to do than they can do. OUR TASK IS THE OPPOSITE OF DISTRACTION.”

The issue for effective ministry is “how to KEEP THEM from being so busy that they can no longer hear the voice of God who speaks in silence.”

Moses spent 40 days alone with God. Paul spent time alone with God in Arabia. Even Jesus spent time alone with His heavenly Father. And you???

At its core the Christian life is about time knowing, enjoying, and conversing…with our Creator! If we remove the Creator from our life we have missed the core for our existence. Such a resulting hollowness can never be filled by anything or anyone else.

Do your best to “be still—not busy—and know that I am God.” Then help others to do the same…but you can’t effectively help others until you first help yourself. 

Tom Swartzwelder was born again at the age of nine in an old-fashioned revival meeting. Tom received his B.A. from Tennessee Temple University and his M. Div from Luther Rice Seminary. He has pastored for nearly forty years in both bi-vocational and full-time roles. He provides practical how-to-do-ministry resources for the disciples of Jesus Christ at http://www.godsgreenhouse.net. Tom’s latest book is “God Speaks–Today!”=