Is Busy Giving You Pause?
May is a very full month around here!
True story—I wrote a first draft of today’s “pastoral blurb” yesterday (Wednesday) morning to ensure that I got it to Dave before the deadline to send in the all-church email.
The piece I wrote has to do with how many things we have going on in church, and how in flurries of activity we often get lost or distracted. However, I was overwhelmed with a packed schedule between then and the deadline...
Fast forward to emailing Dave after my lunch meeting with "Safe Families”, (a ministry I can’t wait to tell our church about), which followed a cancelled meeting with Edd Breeden, which followed a quarterly meeting with our seminary student, which followed a pastors prayer breakfast at Monte Vista High School at 6:30am.
I’ll spare you yesterday’s adventures and the day before… FULL!!
I finally got around to emailing this final copy to Dave Thursday afternoon...
A glance at our church calendar has a similar feeling…potlucks, chorale visits (with a potluck), Church Life Meetings, Baby Showers, "5th Sunday”, and we had Mother’s Day…along with all the regularly scheduled Bible Studies, Worship Services, Equipping Hours, Oasis’, Bagels, prayer gatherings and leadership meetings.
And a ton of budget planning sessions too!
I’m grateful for all of “it” and all of “you”.
So it makes me wonder, how are you doing in these days full of activity?
I needed a dose of perspective, so I wrote to myself for the pastoral blurb and figured some of you might want to eavesdrop on the advice I needed.
Pause.
Just a few moments or minutes to breathe, hop off the spinning merry go round and get my bearings.
A pause usually allows me to remember who I’m following (or want to follow) = Jesus.
I manage expectations, organize plans, and get back on track.
Can you pause for a few?
Why? The pause helps us check the why of so many activities.
Is this the best use of time and energy?
Am I being faithful or following in duty and guilt?
Am I giving myself grace like I try and give others?
Go forward. Step by step, day by day we are called to live with Jesus.
A pause may stop me from the wrong direction and the why points me in the right direction, but I still get to move forward—even in small steps.
Jesus invites all of His followers into a full experience of life.
At times it feels out of control or too much.
As we’ve read the Gospels this year, Jesus lived a very full life himself.
But let’s be wise and discern the difference between and adventure with God and a burdensome journey in our own strength.
I pray we all know the joy of following the Lord into His plans for our lives.
“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,
But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
