The Balance Between Busy and Bored

B-U-S-Y. It's all the rage these days, it seems. Competition drives it all, and to be on top, you can't slack the reins one bit.

In fact, I was caught up in a whole world of busy these past few weeks. School got pretty crazy as of late and I haven't had much time to write, which is always a little frustrating. I had places to go, things to do, and sleep to get caught up on.

We weren't made to live this way. I was talking to a good friend of mine on Saturday, and while I was explaining my busyness to her, God took my words and threw them back at me. Wisdom that I hadn't realized before started coming from my mouth, and I started listening. It's cool how Jesus works like that.

Anyways, my train of thought was this: Matthew 11:28-30 tells us that in the arms of Jesus, there is rest. His yoke is easy, and His burden, light. Sound familiar? And Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who trust in the Lord won't grow weary. If that's the case, why am I living an exhaustive lifestyle? Pump the brakes.

That's what we need to do: slow down. Think about it. If Jesus's promises are always true, and He promises rest and peace and a strength that is His that is unending, why do we get tired? How come it becomes difficult to walk in the footsteps of Christ as we press on? After all, He promises an inexhaustive lifestyle.

And I came to the conclusion: I must not be doing what God wants me to be doing, or what I am doing is more than He has prepared me for. I am exhausted because I'm doing what He hasn't built me for. Is getting good grades with a challenging school course load beneficial to my future? Sure, provided that future is one where I get into a good college. But the sacrifice is huge; all of my relationships have taken a hit, as well as my writing and energy levels. And does God even want me in college? Have I even slowed down long enough to even try to hear what He wants of me?

God created the world in seven days, as I see it. Seven literal days. Some may not see it that way, and, I can't say that they're wrong. We just don't know. And while many will say God created the world in a much longer period of time (fitting evolution into their timeline), my pastor raised a good question: if it's a literal seven days, what took God so long? 24 hours is a long time to set into motion what could've only taken seconds. Maybe God wasn't just creating the world, but giving us a standard to live by.

Do one big thing a day. Sure, we can't create light or separate the sky from the sea, but we do have responsibilities here on Earth. Don't try and do too much at once. Take some time for rest, for enjoyment, and for focus on the Creator. Christian rapper Andy Mineo says, "2014 is about to be different; I think my favorite word will be 'no.' Opportunities come and they go, but none of them is worth my soul!" Dedicate a day to the Lord in which you won't work, and that you'll spend that day in worship instead. Don't live an exhaustive lifestyle full of schedules and stress. Enjoy living life one day at a time.

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.' You don't even know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes." - James 4:13-14 HCSB

The world sells us lies of try harder, do more, be better, make money. To what end? The destruction of our bodies and the sale of our souls? Especially in America, where competition means everything, it can be so easy to get caught up in the horse race. Never fall behind. Always stay ahead. Perhaps you've heard similar thoughts cross your own mind. I know I have.

Jesus doesn't want us lazy, but He doesn't want us doing too much either. It's hard to think about, but maybe I need to let some of my responsibilities go. I've been praying recently that God will wreck my schedule. I've been living the same exhaustive lifestyle and expecting different results every time. It's time for that to change. To sit down and listen to hear what God wants me to be doing, and not what I think He wants me to be doing. To stop playing God, and let Him BE God. Because what He gives me isn't what makes me tired and worn out; it's what I give myself.

Jesus is all about flipping our conventional wisdom on it's head. We think that to be a good Christian, we always need to do more. We only need to do what God has for us; He'll take care of the rest, no worries. It's all rooted in self-righteousness, and we have to stop striving to earn God's favor. We've already got it.

"You're not the only one who feels like this:

feeling like you lose more than you win!

Like life is just an endless hill you climb;

you try and try, but never arrive...

I'm telling you something:

this racing, this running,

oh you're working way too hard!

And this perfection you're chasing,

it's just energy wasted,

because He loves you like you are!

So go ahead and live like you're loved!

It's okay to act like you've been set free!

His love has made you more than enough,

so go ahead and be who He made you to be,

and live like you're loved!" - Hawk Nelson

And, of course, always remember to #LiveItLikeJesus.