"Busy" is Not a Badge

Articles From Our Bulletins

Philip Strong
12/18/16 - Bulletin Articles

Many years ago, a friend kept trying to get me to camp out on the river and fish for a couple of days with him. As much as I wanted to take him up on the offer, I kept putting him off because I was “just too busy right now.” In his jovial, teasing manner, he finally replied, “A man that is too busy to fish is just too busy!” I went and we had a great time. Since then I’ve adapted his statement somewhat, “A man (or woman) that is too busy to serve the Lord is just too busy!” And yet, that is exactly where far too many of us find ourselves now- “too busy” for God.

Unfortunately, many of us not only suffer from this self-inflicted malady, we seem to enjoy and relish in it. We treat “too busy” as some sort of badge of honor- as if it provides evidence of our importance. Work can’t do without me. My family needs me. My civic club or school-support group depends on me. My social network of friends can’t recreate without me (and I need the “escape” because I’m “so busy” otherwise). And yet, many of us still manage to convince ourselves, and perhaps even say to others, “God comes first in my life.” Really? When He and His only get the left-overs of our time, energy, commitment, emotions, and enthusiasm? When it comes to God and our relationship to Him and His, “busy” or its relative “just too busy” is not a badge of honor. Instead, it signifies much less honorable issues like a lack of commitment, priority, dedication, love, and zeal.

Neither is “busy” an acceptable badge of excuse. Being “just too busy” does not exempt us from responsibilities and duties owed to God, His church (cooperatively), His people (individually), or His purpose. None of us can legitimately wave a “Busy Badge” before God and be excused from the services of His church, service to His church, or service with His church to His cause. Even those depicted before Christ in judgment claimed to have been “busy” with deeds done in His name, cf. Matthew 7:22, and yet were denied entrance to heaven. What do you think will be our fate, when standing before the Righteous Judge, if our defense is that we were “just too busy” to assemble with the saints to worship Him, study our Bibles, encourage fellow Christians, and reach out to the lost with the gospel? Please consider carefully a few related passages…

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength,” Mark 12:30. “But seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things (food, shelter, clothing, from vv.25ff, PCS) will be added to you,” Matthew 6:33. “If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth,” Colossians 3:1-2.

Our society has become inundated with “busy” people- folks that are “just too busy” for the Lord, His church, and His cause. Don’t be one of them! You (and we) can do better! You can love God with your all! You can make His kingdom and His righteousness first in your life! You can set your mind on spiritual and heavenly rather than earthly and temporal things! How so?

Make a decision that no thing and no one will be allowed to come before God and His interests. As much as is physically possible, work, family, and social or recreational activities will not be allowed to come before Him, or between you and Him.
Set aside time each day (before the day’s other activities begin, and/or after they conclude if nothing else) to be with God in prayer and in study of His word.You must make time to communicate with God in prayer, and allow Him to communicate with you through His word.
Determine to be with God’s people every time they assemble to worship Him or study His word. You’ll need this support, and they need it from you.
Stick to it, and don’t back up or back down.Consistency and endurance are keys to breaking the “just too busy” habit.

Jesus Christ wants to save your soul. God wants to have a spiritually healthy relationship with you. The Holy Spirit wants to guide you through life by the Word. But They will not do so if you’re “just too busy” to make Them THE priority of your life.