By Josephine Lim-Weston
It's so easy to be absorbed by busyness and let it rule our lives. If we don't stop and give ourselves a break, no matter what remaining strength we've got left, we'll be exhausted by end of the day. If we carry on like this throughout the weekdays, when the weekend comes our body will need to make up for it (hopefully we do rest on weekend).
Worse is the feeling of guilt sets in and unfruitfulness even though we've kept ourselves productive and done as much as we could but we're not satisfied neither fulfilled. Why? Because we've exhausted ourselves by serving the flesh instead of stopping for a moment for spiritual and emotional recharge that we so crucially need. Tasks completed by our own strength will not bring as much fulfillment, joy and peace as if we had just allowed God and welcomed Him to work alongside with us.
Vitally, we've got to watch out as no matter how good our cause at hand, that we worked hard for, busyness seems to be the No. 1 weapon used by the enemy (Satan) to distract us from spending quiet time with God and listening to His voice. When we dont spend time in fellowship with and knowing God (studying His word and listening to Him), we feel restless, unfulfilling, worn out and worse - guilt consciousness kicks in that cause us to feel even more distant from God.
The second weapon that the enemy (Satan) uses to pull us even further away from God is to make us feel lousy, distant and no longer loved by God and he'll start pointing the finger at us because we fail to do this and that for God so now God is not happy and will not listen to our prayer and will not bless us anymore as He intended. Don't entertain those thoughts at all as it breaks God's heart.
All God wants is to come running to us with wide open arms like the Parable of the Prodigal Son who decided that, after squandering away his life, he had a revelation that he'll be treated better in his father’s house than outside in the world. His gracious, joyful and elated father doesn't even think about his son's past but upon hearing the news of his lost son's coming home he ran out from the house to hug his returned, embarrassed son. This is our Heavenly Father waiting for each one of us to return to Him and fellowship with Him.
Our heart, soul and spirit will not rest until we are united in fellowship with our God who is all-satisfying and fulfilling. Only He satisfies our longing and only He is more than enough. Nothing and no one can takes His place. We are made for Him (Jesus), through Him and in Him (Romans 11:36). Nothing can substitute and compensate for Him.
So I pray and I hope when we're caught up in busyness to know it's time to stop and draw strength from God by listening to Him for His guidance; or simply for Him to refresh us and give us God-ordained wisdom and strength so we'll not be exhausted for depending on our own strength. Also we are not to give the enemy the foothold to use the weapon of busyness against us.
I pray also when we ever doubt God's love again due to our mistakes and inaction, please consider the parable of the prodigal son and no longer be embarrased to draw near to God again. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).
God is knocking at our heart's door wanting to have fellowship with us (Revelations 3:20). He's earnest to refresh and love us over and over again and has so much to pour into our empty vessel and fill us up again.
Whenever I put God first or as priority, I always have more time to spare. I pray that we will all set aside this precious time everyday with our loving Saviour.
Here are some very good books to read in line with drawing close to God:
Master is Calling by Lynne Hammond
Birthing the Miraculous by Heidi Baker
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