Busy Being Busy

I recently had the privilege of reconnecting with a small group of ladies I fell out of touch with. The reason is one that I’m sure isn’t uncommon to most working adults. Life. Our calendars get so full of so much that some of our relationships begin to fall victim to our schedules. 

When I met up with these ladies, it was a great opportunity to reconnect and catch up. It was also an opportunity for us to talk about getting the ol’ group together again for our bible studies. Then I entered a battle of mind vs. heart. I would love to be able to attend every bible study I can pack onto my agenda. Realistically, I just can’t. That was my struggle. But I had to have that sit down, heart-to-heart with myself where I acknowledge that sometimes I have to say no.

I feel that many people can relate to having a full schedule. Work, school, family commitments (pets included!), church, bible studies, prayer groups, book clubs, and so many other things. It doesn’t take much for our schedules to become overwhelming. Church, bible studies, and other faith based activities are all spiritually enriching. For me, that’s why I would sometimes feel so guilty for being tired. But then I also found that in order to accommodate some things, I was shaving away from other aspects that were just as important. My last post spoke about quality time with God and how we should be mindful that we are not sacrificing that time. Yet, we so easily do that in order to fit everything else onto our already jam packed schedules. 

Community and our relationships with other believers are super important. So is being able to steal away and spend some one-on-one time with God. Make sure that your calendar is not so full that you don’t have time for either. Here’s something that I’ve grown to understand. If I can’t make bible study this week, it doesn’t mean I no longer read the bible. If I can’t make prayer group this week, it’s a good thing that’s not the only time I pray. Missing something now and again does not make you a bad Christian. It doesn’t mean you’ve abandoned your walk with God and we should take care not to make anyone feel that way.

All that being said, you also don’t want everything else to take priority over your relationship with God. Even your schedule. A few years ago, I worked multiple jobs which had me working every weekend. So between the dual work schedule and sheer exhaustion, I wasn’t able to attend church service. I learned several things from that experience. One was that I needed the community that being around fellow believers provided. The other thing I learned is that neglecting my relationship with God is my own fault, especially when I’m the one making all the excuses. The more opportunities I neglected to spend time in prayer or studies or going to church, the easier the excuses came for not getting back on track. But it was so important for me to do so. Afterall, my family can’t have a personal relationship with God on my behalf. So if I don’t desire such and I’m not putting in the work, then I’m the one at fault. Don't let that be you.

Stay Sunny!