Busy & Blessed

Life is busy.

Often times it feels that just when we have managed to complete one task, three more pop up on the to-do list.

We use technology to organize and prioritize, all the while giving ourselves more projects to complete than we will ever have the opportunity to commence (I’m looking at you, Pinterest.)

We shuffle back and forth thinking that our multi-tasking makes us more efficient, meanwhile we never give our full attention to any one thing.

And we often find ourselves complaining about all we have to do, and all that is left to complete. Our obligations grow longer while our time seems to shrink. We don’t get to do all the things that we want to do, because we are so focused on all the things we haven’t yet finished.

Yet in all of this, what we fail to realize is that our busyness is often a sign of blessing.

The fact that we have so many places to be – it’s an indication of the community that God has graciously provided.

The chores and home repairs that never seem to end – they’re a result of God’s provision in giving us a place we call “ours.”

The bills we pay, the obligations we keep, the work that we must get up for each day – they are a result of God’s good gifts.

We may feel like we’re flailing in the wind, but more often than not that rushing we feel is the whirlwind of God abundantly pouring out His blessings. Those who have little, don’t feel busy. That is reserved for those who have much. 

So the next time I am tempted to get overwhelmed by the tasks that I still haven’t done, or the goals I make little progress towards achieving, I hope I remember that the reason I’m tired when I lay down to sleep isn’t because of what I lack in life; it’s the result of all I have been graciously given. While I may wish I could do more, I am grateful for all that God has seen fit to fill my life with.  After all, those who have been given much, are those God has generously blessed.

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Bits & Pieces (7/29/13)

Doubting Your Doubts – “The answer to doubt is God. The answer to our questions about tithing, membership, gender roles, politics, sin, and any other aspect in life that gives us pause is God. The blight of our generation is that we believe we are god.”

How Jesus Exposed the Idol of Self-Glory – “Self-glory is revealed to be an idol in our heart when the Lord presents us with an opportunity to glorify him by speaking the truth about our convictions or our sins, yet we are unwilling to do it for fear of what someone else will think of us.”

I Hate/Love Being Busy – “We daily are rushing from this place to that, this appointment to that one, this activity to the next. We hurry, hurry, hurry until we finally drop at the end of a day and we lay down exhausted. While we might complain about the pace of our lives at a given moment, isn’t there that little piece of you that glories in your busyness? I know there is for me.”

Dallas Willard’s Granddaughter Eulogizes Him – This is old, but I still think it is worth viewing. It is very touching tribute for a grandfather that was obviously very loved.

The Big Question of Grief: Who Am I Now?  – I found this article put into words something that often isn’t considered in the midst of grief. Namely, when you have lost someone (or something), you become disoriented about what that means for who you are in light of this new reality (even for those who know that their grief is temporary in light of the Cross.) (H/T)

Is Your Child A Christian? – This is a question that every Christian parent probably wrestles with, and this article provides some helpful perspective to consider. (H/T)

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