If you're a college student, you might as well face it: life is and will continue to be busy. It always seems like we have well over a million things too, and because of this, I find myself responding to friends far too many times with the phrase, "I can't, I'm too busy," and I hate it. I hate that our time is limited here on earth, I've always had a major case of FOMO (fear of missing out), and I sometimes make excuses for things I totally could've made time for. I believe there are a few very important things to consider when it comes to how busy we make ourselves (yes, make, it doesn't just happen, my friends) and how that affects the people we love.
The decisions I make aren't always a matter of time, but a matter of priority. We make time for the things we love. We've lost the refreshing honesty of someone admitting they don't actually want to do something, and for some reason being busy isn't just a justifiable excuse, it makes us look and feel good. Somewhere along the line, busyness falsely began to equal success. Staying busy makes us feel important and softens the guilt of failing to prioritize selflessly.
I'm not saying we shouldn't prioritize, I'm saying we need to be careful of what and who we prioritize. Every once and a while I look at my life and wonder if how I spend my time accurately reflects how I love. I think of how many hours of Netflix I watched today and compare that to how many hours I spent reading my Bible. I think of that hour long conversation with my best friend that had a little too much gossip and wonder what would happen if I spent the same amount of time praying. Whether we like to admit it or not, how we spend our time is a perfect window into what we value most. More often than not, our loves our disordered, and that's when we need the grace of God to remind us of what really matters.
Aside from how being busy reflects what we love, it also takes a toll on our soul. When was the last time you reflected on how you live, how you love, and where you're headed? When was the last time you rested and just abided in God's love? We need rest. Not just every Sunday, but every day. We need tiny moments of worship and tiny moments of solitude in between the crazy.
Constantly busying yourself also leaves little to no room for reflection, introspection, and prayer, yet ironically that is exactly why some people choose to be busy. If I'm honest, I know during times of grief and depression I follow the advice, "stay busy" hanging onto that phrase like a lifeline. Just think of how much faster your hurt will heal if you hung on to the command to "be still and know," instead. Busyness = Distraction, and sometimes it's just easier to be distracted from how we feel than to face who we are and where we are headed.
Busy yourself with holy things, not selfish things. Stop the glorification of busy and seek out moments of rest. Don't be afraid of the stillness, and guard your time fiercely. Be generous with your time, but be careful with it.
"Busy is a choice, stress is a choice, joy is a choice. Choose well." (Ann Voskamp)
