Thursday, August 30, 2007
Too Busy?
Excuses, excuses, excuses, we are just full of excuses. Kudos to Mere O buddy Matt for linking to this Christian Post piece.
I have been a sole practioner in my business for almost 20 years. The last five have seen explosive growth. Had I had this much work even 10 years ago, I could not get it done. And yet, technology has developed to the point that I get it done with relative ease. I didn't develop that technology, but somehow God's Providence has provided for me.
The early years of my business were very difficult finacially, many was the time on the 25th of the month when I had no idea where my paycheck would come from on the 30th. But in all these years, I have never missed a paycheck. No effort on my part could have made that happen. God made that happen.
When ever I find myself getting too busy is precisely when I stop and wonder "what's wrong?" Usually I am hiding from something. It has been so easy in the wake of my father's death to try and hide from the grief by business. The demands have been extraordinary, and I gave into them for the first several weeks. But that is so obvious.
Most of the rest of the time; however, we are hiding in busyness from our simple wretched, sinful state. Meeting God intimately threatens us. It seems easier to stay busy. But that is not victory. No Isiah pointed out God's plan for victory:
About 6 in 10 Christians say that it's "often" or "always" true that "the busyness of life gets in the way of developing my relationship with God." Christians most likely to agree were from North America, Africa and Europe. By country, Christians in South Africa, Nigeria, Canada, Singapore, Ireland, Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom, are more distracted from God, respectively, than those in other countries.I'm thinking we have a chicken/egg problem here. Why are we so busy? Could it be that we lack the faith to rely on God to take care of us? Why do we lack such faith? Could it be because we don't cultivate it? Why don't we cultivate it? Could it be because we are too busy? But the problem is the world's business, not us -- Uh-huh.
I have been a sole practioner in my business for almost 20 years. The last five have seen explosive growth. Had I had this much work even 10 years ago, I could not get it done. And yet, technology has developed to the point that I get it done with relative ease. I didn't develop that technology, but somehow God's Providence has provided for me.
The early years of my business were very difficult finacially, many was the time on the 25th of the month when I had no idea where my paycheck would come from on the 30th. But in all these years, I have never missed a paycheck. No effort on my part could have made that happen. God made that happen.
When ever I find myself getting too busy is precisely when I stop and wonder "what's wrong?" Usually I am hiding from something. It has been so easy in the wake of my father's death to try and hide from the grief by business. The demands have been extraordinary, and I gave into them for the first several weeks. But that is so obvious.
Most of the rest of the time; however, we are hiding in busyness from our simple wretched, sinful state. Meeting God intimately threatens us. It seems easier to stay busy. But that is not victory. No Isiah pointed out God's plan for victory:
Isa 40:31 - Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. [emphasis added]Resist the urge to hurry. Wait on God. He truly has your back.
