Minute rice, fast food, and instant messaging - what do these things have in common? Speed. It is our highest priority. More than exquisite workmanship, deep friendships, or even God, we value speed. America is in a hurry. We want what we want when we want it. After all, doesn’t doing more in less time just make sense?
But contrary to our expectations, rushing from bed, to table, to car, to work, and then home again is NOT getting us what we want. In fact, it is making us sick. Research by Dr. Brent Bost has recently identified a cluster of symptoms that arise from this frenetic lifestyle. These symptoms include fatigue, moodiness, weight gain and low sex drive. (Dr. Bost; McGraw-Hill; March 2005). Shockingly, approximately 50 million American women have at least one of the above.
Busyness is an American addiction fed daily by Satan’s lies.
- I can have it all.
- If I don’t do it, who will?
- More is better.
- Eight hours of sleep is optional.
- The one who dies with the most toys wins.
God says something entirely different:
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:2
Did you catch that? It is vain to get up early. It is worthless to stay up late. Work yourself to death and it still won’t get you what you want. But if you trust the Lord, He will take care of all your needs even while you are sleeping. That is a powerful promise and one that America desperately needs to hear.
“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met” (Matthew 6:33 MSG). When we believe God, the order of our priorities is suddenly reversed. God is our greatest treasure, deep relationships are essential, quality is important, and speed becomes almost irrelevant.
The research is in. When you live your life by God’s principles your energy is renewed, joy overflows, health is restored, and your passion returns. Choose the unhurried life and love the life you live.
1 comments:
As I ran in to check my email between meetings, I read your blog post -- I'm running behind on that, too. And it was just the thing I needed to hear. I AM running on empty, and I AM too busy to focus on the important things. Thank you for pointing it out.
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