Productivity – What?! I’m Busy!

Is it just me who thinks that being busy seems to have taken on a life of its own? It’s almost like a badge of honour or a fashion accessory most of us proudly wear and highlight every chance we get. In recent years I have caught myself answering the question, “How are you?” with, “I’m good, just busy.” Or, “I’m well, just tired and too busy.” I’m laughing as I write this because it reads so silly because it kind of is silly. Why do we feel that being productive or purpose-driven must go hand in hand with being busy? Why do we feel the need to counter someone’s narration to us of all the things they are doing with our very own detailed laundry list of things that are keeping us oh so busy, tired and stressed out?

During the last 3 quarters of 2020, in the thick of the pandemic reactions and responses, everything in my world came to a crashing halt. The busyness badge of honour was stripped from my proud chest and I was left overtly and unsure of who I was without it. It was certainly not a fun place for me to be in, but I feel like the Holy Spirit had so much fun working through this process with me, which made it even more uncomfortable. In hindsight, I say with confidence that God was pleased because He wanted to use that torn-down place to re-establish me and my identity firmly in Him. This is what brought Him joy.

In all this, I have realised that busyness is a temptation. It creeps in when we least expect it and most times when we are out here trying to do the very best at work, in our homes, for our families and even for the kingdom of God. The temptation is not to simply load our days with activities, no, the temptation is to replace God as Lord of our life with the wonderful work that He has blessed us with the ability to do. What a sobering revelation it has been to sit with Him and have Him show me how time and time again, I was so busy doing all the things instead of being all He designed me to be. I was so busy getting the work done that I forgot the purpose behind it. How I was so busy chasing purpose that I wasn’t even paying attention to the fact that purpose was staring me in the face from the everyday moments of my life I was zooming past, being ever so busy.

Don’t get me wrong, I know some seasons are just busy. I believe God plans it that way to stretch us and shake things up for us. However, I don’t believe that this is where He wants us to linger. Think about it, though the busyness gives us an adrenaline rush and helps us feel accomplished and purposeful, we are constantly complaining about being in that state. Many times, our bodies have to feign illness or truly become ill for us to take a moment and slow down, after which we angrily get back at it because we feel being homesick is rival to our to-do list.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

During my intensive ongoing indaba with the Lord in 2020, I remember one day He said to me, “Louise you sleep too much but you don’t rest enough.” I won’t lie, I was low-key offended by this statement. My kids were doing online learning from home at the time, I was worn out, and fatigued and I felt I wasn’t getting enough sleep. When He said this to me, my initial response was to push back and get defensive, but as I did, I realised that He actually knew better and that my arguing with Him would get me nowhere. Instead, after a few days of sitting in my upset feelings, I asked what He meant. He gently began to remind me that He had made Sabbath for me, it belonged to Him and more than that I belonged to Him. The rest I so desperately sought after would only be found in me completely letting go of my need to be seen by myself and others as the busydoer, and rather, to be seen by My Heavenly Father, as His daughter.

“So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of our great God.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.” ~ Proverbs 23:4

Are you doing all the things for God’s glory or just to get rich? Riches pertain to more than just money, mind you. You could be busy to get rich in accolades, networks, followers, compliments, recognition and the like. I think the heart of God for us concerning this boils down to our motives. How can we assess our motives? Listening to your own words, how you speak to yourself and others, and even to God, is a great place to start in trying to discern your position in this busyness trap. Let me ask you some questions to help get you started.

1. Do you feel uneasy when you are not busy? What words would you use to describe the uncomfortable feelings you experience? When do you think this pattern began?
2. Do you feel behind when you hear about a friend or colleague’s accomplishments? Is it difficult for you to celebrate them because you are struck by the sense of failure in comparison?
3. Is there room in your day or your to-do list for God to call on you for His agenda or His task?
4. In the middle of your busy life, when God sends someone your way who needs encouragement, prayer or help, are you more inclined to complain and brush them off or to submit to the Holy Spirit asking Him to help you catch up with your tasks later?
5. If you’re a parent, when your child asks to play with you or for you to come and see something they have done, do you feel irritated by the disturbance or excited at the opportunity to enter your child’s world?
6. Do you find it easy to say no to social invitations because you would much rather stay home to recharge, play with your kids or spend quality time with your spouse, or do you feel you must attend because everyone else will be there?
7. When you feel ill, do you find yourself thinking, “Argh! I can’t afford to be sick right now with everything I have to get done,’ or, ‘Lord, I refuse this illness because your Word says sickness is not my portion.”

As I said, I believe busyness is a temptation. It keeps us focused on the wrong thing and at the end of it all, the reward of our hard work is muddied by mixed feelings and an empty cup rather than a full and overflowing one.

I hope you can see the Heart of our Father in how we live this thing called life. He prepared work for us to do before the foundations of the earth were laid, yes, but He doesn’t want us to be imitators of this world, busy workers in the machine of life. Much rather, as imitators of Christ, He wants us to forge boldly ahead with the responsibilities He has placed before us, leaving margin for Him, deferring to Him and exalting only Him. In this, we will find not only true rest but also ourselves.