Are You Buying into Busyness?

Throughout the year, we treasure important life events and the memories they create. What we don’t enjoy is the stress. We live in a noisy culture. We’re bombarded with messages about how to live, what to think, and what to buy. At this time of year, the pressure to fill up the schedule, buy the right stuff, and meet expectations is very high.

Here’s the problem: In times of stress, we’re tempted to take our eyes off the Lord and become entangled in worldly attitudes. We buy into busyness, and it becomes a way of life—not very peaceful.

Colossians 2:8 warns against the futile thinking behind all this stress: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Much of the hollow thinking we fall for today is materialistic and self-serving.  Here are a few examples of the lies we tell ourselves:

• The future will be secure if I accumulate a lot of possessions.
• My family will love me more if I buy more things and experiences for them.
• Everyone should get what they want.
• All I need is a positive attitude, and everything will work out.
• Being busy is the best way to love my friends and family.

The Bible calls these ideas “hollow and deceptive” because they are lies - glorifying material possessions and selfish desires.  The result of this worldview is just more chaos and less peace. So, how do we avoid being fooled by the world’s noise?  Well, we can focus on God’s truth instead.  Here are a few examples:

• In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Abundant life, peace, hope, and a sure future are found only in Christ.
• Proverbs 23:5 says, “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Possessions can’t satisfy you.
• “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain”, according to Psalm 31. Lasting success comes from serving the Lord, not chasing after personal fulfillment.
• Finally, Proverbs 3:5-6 offers lasting reassurance: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

We can put our priorities in order when we listen to God’s truth instead of the world’s noise. We follow Christ first, allowing him to fill us with his Holy Spirit so we can love and serve the people around us, without stress!

Jesus knows the pressures you face, whether they’re a result of money issues, relationships, a busy schedule, or all of the above! Our Lord addressed the same issues with his disciples, who fussed about everything from where to go, to where their next meal would come from.

The point Jesus makes with them, and us, is that we don’t ever have to fuss and worry when we follow Him. Here’s what He says at the end of Matthew 6:

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” When you find yourself overwhelmed, irritable, or depressed amid the May madness, don’t buy into the busyness. Pause a bit and get your priorities back in order. Talk to the Lord, read his Word, and remind yourself what’s true! That will help you focus on what’s most important today! You can also listen the related podcast on this topic.