Being busy isn't always a bad thing. It can encourage us to be more organised and make better use of our time but the danger to our physical, mental and spiritual health comes when we are too busy and at risk of burnout.
In our fast-paced world, doing more is often put forward as the ideal. But when we're overloaded we actually become less productive and less motivated.
Our hectic lifestyles can be self-inflicted and a result of placing our value in things that we think matter a lot more to other people than they do in reality. If you study your work and social patterns you can discover what is genuinely motivating your desire to do more.
Are you saying yes to every social invite because you're afraid your friends will think you're a huge let down if you decline, even with a valid reason? Are you taking on more and more responsibilities at work with the sole purpose of impressing your boss and colleagues, even though getting in earlier, leaving later and doing more than everyone else means you have less time to spend on what's important to you?
Even if you're risking burnout for God it can be no use. Remember, it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8.
God values rest. He doesn't want you to burnout from busyness.
We never want to become too busy for what really matters. If you know you're saying "I can't, I'm busy" to friends, colleagues, family members and even God far too often, take a look over these Bible verses.
Genesis 2:2-3 - By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Luke 10:38-42 - As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Luke 5:15-16 - Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Hebrews 4:9-10 - There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.
