Question 1

Does God expect me to be busy all the time?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 23:2He [the Lord] lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.A shepherd knows that sheep need a restful environment in which to eat and drink. For us today, the fast-food phenomenon is just one symptom of our increasingly restless culture. When we find ourselves forgoing healthy practices or godly opportunities because we are too busy, then we are too busy for our own good.Matthew 11:28-29Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”Activity itself is not a virtue; it can actually be a detriment to our spiritual lives. There are times when the Lord invites us to rest and be refreshed in his care. We must realize that rest involves more than giving our physical bodies a break. How are you getting rest for your soul?

Question 2

What are the benefits of being busy?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 31:17, 27She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. . . . She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.Many of life’s pursuits require long periods of concentrated effort. For farmers, a very busy planting season is followed by a period of rest while their crops grow; then comes the busy harvest season. Wise workers know how to pace themselves to harvest the rewards of their labor without becoming exhausted.Ecclesiastes 11:6Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.One of life’s greatest challenges is learning how to use our time wisely. Rich harvests cannot come from lazy hands, poor timing, or bad planning. If we want to see our labor bear fruit, we should expect to put in hard work and a lot of time.

Question 3

What are the dangers of busyness?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 39:6-7We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.A full life with no time for God is actually an empty life. Tragically, many people reach their final years only to realize they wasted their time being busy for the wrong reasons. Busyness for its own sake or for the sake of money is meaningless in the face of death. A busy life of faithful, fruitful service brings blessings in this life and great rewards in eternity.Proverbs 19:2Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.Have you ever regretted trying to assemble furniture without first looking at the instructions? Overconfidence always brings risk, and reckless busyness often ends up costing more time than it saves. Never confuse activity with accomplishment.Haggai 1:9“You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses.”When the fruit of our busyness is less satisfying than what we expected, we should consider whether God might be trying to get our attention. He knows that wealth without worship is ultimately meaningless, and it is a gracious gift when God takes away the former to strengthen our pursuit of the latter.Luke 10:38-42As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”Martha’s problem wasn’t that she was doing a bad thing but that her good work had distracted her from an even better opportunity. Jesus encouraged her to see the wisdom in her sister’s apparent laziness.

Question 4

What should I continually busy myself with?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 71:8I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long.A healthy relationship with God always includes counting God’s blessings and considering all his wonderful attributes. Time in God’s presence is never wasted.Hebrews 4:14Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.We should make it a daily habit to remember what Christ has done for us and what he is currently doing for us. Returning frequently to this core of faith keeps all of life in order.Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.We can never spend too much time praising God, thanking him, or telling him what we need. When we find ourselves worrying about anything, we should start praying.

Question 5

How can I find rest from the busyness of life?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 34:21You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest.Our lives should have a rhythm that includes both work and rest. When we ignore that rhythm because of our busyness, sooner or later we will discover that we have been unproductive even in our busyness.Psalm 23:2He [the Lord] lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.Like the best of shepherds, God lets us rest. If we pay attention, we will notice that he offers places and moments of peace in our lives. Ask God to make you aware of opportunities to rest.Psalm 91:1Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.What pictures do the words shelter and shadow bring to your mind? They both evoke images of restful protection. Take time to consider: Do you intentionally live in the loving presence of the Father? Do you notice the difference when you are not? Don’t let the clutter in your busy life crowd God out.Mark 6:31Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.We should be proactive about planning rest and renewal within our busy schedules, or else all the other demands of life will completely dictate our agendas. God made us for work, but he also made us for rest. We must keep both in balance.Mark 1:36-38Simon and the others went out to find [Jesus]. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.”Busy as he was, Jesus never let the demands of circumstances dictate his priorities. Freeing ourselves from the trap of incessant activity requires learning to say no—sometimes even to worthwhile activities.

Question 6

What is the antidote to empty busyness?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 90:12Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.Moses’ simple prayer ought to cross our lips on a regular basis. Wise people understand that our short lives are wasted unless God helps us redeem the time. Let him teach by prioritizing your focus.Ephesians 5:15-18, 20Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. . . . Be filled with the Holy Spirit. . . . And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Empty busyness creates a meaningless life. The key to overcoming empty busyness is to let God shape our choices and activities. We must think carefully about his call and purpose for our lives and prioritize our activities around them. God will empower us to make the most of the time he gives us.

Question 7

How do I prioritize time with God when life feels so busy?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 6:33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.When we put God first, everything else finds its proper place. Jesus reminds us that when we seek Him above all else, He provides what we truly need. Trusting God means letting go of worry and believing that He will take care of the details of our lives. As we center our hearts on Him, we discover peace, rest, and the joy of knowing He is in control.Philippians 4:6-7Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.Isaiah 40:29He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.2 Corinthians 12:9“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Matthew 11:28-30Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”When life feels busy and overwhelming, Jesus invites us to come to Him for rest.Luke 10:41-42But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”Psalm 46:10“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”Mark 1:35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.Jesus tells us to lay our burdens down and choose the “one thing” that matters most—time in His presence.Psalm 90:12Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.Mark 10:21Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”Life is short and can easily be wasted. But God’s Word give us wisdom and perspective to make the most of the time we have been given.