Busy, Be

by Shelley Johnson

For most women life is busy. We have become good multi-taskers, plate-spinners, and jugglers. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed a pattern to my busyness…it seems to come in waves, ebbing and flowing as seasons change.

The start of the school year is one of the busiest for me. My kids are still school-age, so we’re slammed with all the back-to-school stuff. Shopping, teacher meeting, open house hopping, sports practicing. And that’s just their world.

The beginning of a new semester is my busiest at work too. Everything seems to kickoff around the same time, so I feel pulled in many directions. And if I’m not careful, it doesn’t take long for my shoulders to burn with the ache of stress.

If I’m carrying all my stress on MY shoulders, what does that say about my life? My walk with Christ?

It means I’m trying to DO all these things in my own strength.

It means I’m not taking time with God each day…I’m not giving Him my burdens.

It means my focus is on my circumstances, not on Him.

I’m determined to break this cycle I seem to fall into this time of year, every year. Today I’m stopping. Despite my very long list of to-do’s, I’m pausing to breathe, pray, and let go. 

I’m choosing to look to God in the middle of my chaos.

I’m choosing to look to His Word for truth, hope, direction…and peace.

I’m choosing to let go of the busy…and just be.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!John 16:33

His perfect Word promises peace. But first we have to take heart…we have to pause…be still. Be.

God doesn’t promise us a life without trouble, but He does promise to help us overcome trouble when it comes. Sometimes our “trouble” is the long to-do list that causes us much stress. So what’s our response? Dig our heels in and stubbornly grit it out? Or shall we hit the pause button and change our focus?

Today, I’m pausing. Praying. Seeking Him first…breathing in His grace, and letting Him take some of the load.

After all, He has overcome the world!

Busy just be-ing.

Shelley Johnson describes herself as a “believer, wife, mother, daughter.” She lives in Edmond, Oklahoma with her husband and three boys and serves on New Covenant UMC’s staff as Director of Adult Discipleship. “I’m blessed to be used by God,” Shelley says, “as He helps me along my own faith journey.”