When Busy Gets Your Best

We are in the thick of busy around here. Campus Crusade – busy. School-age children – busy. Fall sports – busy. Caring for Mamaw – busy. Fall is our craziest time of year. Not to mention, the kitchen sink is clogged, we’re going out of town, the yard needs mowing, I’m co-chair of a 5K…I could go on.

Life. Is. Busy.

With my whole heart have I sought You, inquiring for and of You and yearning for You; O let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from your commandments. Psalm 119:10 AMP

And when I’m busy, things slide. I slack on recycling, laundry piles up, I skip flossing my teeth, I’m snappy at Brent, and even worse … I jip myself of time with the Lord.

My marriage and my walk with God – I am always amazed by the similarities of these two relationships. Both take similar amounts of intentionality. Time. Affection. Talking. Loving. But when one goes south, usually so does the other.

If I’m not intentionally pursing the Lord, I switch to spiritual auto pilot.

If I’m not intentionally pursuing Brent, my marriage sets to auto pilot, as well

My busy gets my best. My Best gets my last.

O let me not wander or step aside. Psalm 119:10 AMP

Oh, the subtle act of stepping aside. What a word picture – this stepping aside.

Can’t you just see it!? “Oh, life is so busy Lord, I will just be right over here. Let me step aside for just a minute while I take care of this. And this. And this, too …”Stepping aside even sounds dainty doesn’t it? “Oh pardon me, Lord.”

Well, I tell you, the pardon I really need from the Lord is for my negligence.

There’s nothing dainty about wandering from the Lord. Careless is a better word.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25Get this … to “keep in step with the Spirit” simply means to stay in line.

Let us go forward walking in line. Gal 5:25 AMPWalking in a line – that is Kindergarten 101. Stay in line. Keep your eyes on your Leader. Don’t wander off. I got one spankin’ in Kindergarten. For what? Getting out of line in the cafeteria hallway and talking to another class who was passing by.

Ahem, thirty years later, here I am. Still wanting to get out of line.

Today, let us get in step with the Spirit! Let us not wander from our God, but seek Him with our whole heart.

Lord, forgive me that busyness has gotten my best. Let me keep in step with you today. Let me not wander or get out of line. Today, I love You first. Today, I will intentionally love Brent well. I say “no” to auto pilot. Let me walk forward, not wandering from your commandments. Forgive me of any negligence on my part. Today, I keep my eyes fixed on You. I love you, Lord Jesus.

Does busy ever get your best?