I remember when I was young and I would sit outside the bathroom door waiting on my mom to come out. I would wonder why she was taking so long! Then I would knock on the door and repeat “mommy, are you coming out soon?”. My poor mother! When I became a mom, I understood the long visits to the bathroom. I also heard the knocks and the repeats of “mommy, are you coming out soon?”. I’m sure many mothers would agree with my mother and I, the bathroom provided a well needed and earned mini retreat.
Life gets loud. I get so busy that I can forget important aspects of my life like: friends, making connections, hobbies, the fact that I love to bake and so many other aspects. Have you been so busy that one day you have nothing really planned and you cannot function so you create little busy projects to stay, well, busy? That’s been my life for many years. I’m addicted to busy. My bondage is being busy. I’m a slave to busy.
Oh Jesus, deliver me from my busyness and replace it with peace.
I believed I was doing what I needed to do, flittering over here and fluttering over there. In reality, I was missing out on so much! I missed out on hearing God speak to me. I realized the busy life and never taking time to be still drowned out His voice. Keeping up with the Jones’s was keeping me away from the one who mattered most.
I prayed. I cried for help. I didn’t realize I wasn’t hearing Him until I was in one of our circles at church. Friends were hearing and listening and I was listening but I couldn’t hear. Wow, bondage to busy can really sneak up on a person.
I thought the Lord quit talking to me. What an attitude I had! We know He is of love, mercy, and grace. He does not forsake us. My bondage made me deaf, like I had static in my ears. I also felt alone all while being busy. What a contradiction!
I have since learned how important it is to choose solitude. To turn off the TV, walk away from the cell phone, drive in silence, get out in nature and...just breathe. In that choosing of solitude, I seek Him, I cry out and listen for Him. I am learning to set up boundaries when I need and find that being a faithful servant as He directs is all the busy I need to be.
Lord-
I praise your name for you are my refuge! You are bigger than all things and steadfast. Even when we get busy and flutter around you are an anchor, standing firm. You’ve always been like a lighthouse, showing me the way. Forgive me for not noticing during my splurges of great busyness. Thank you for loving me so fiercely and allowing me to see your mercy and grace. Thank you for always talking to me even when I couldn’t hear. I pray my eyes are steady on you and my ears are filled with your word. Ready my heart for softening, compassion, and a desire to serve you.
Amen
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| Taken at the International Forest of Friendship Memorial Park, Atchison Kansas. |
“Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down. My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me. Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking. Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness.”
Psalms 55:1-7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.55.1-7.NLT
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