Are You Happy Being Busy?

Enjoy Life's Journey and See More of His Grace

By Josephine Lim Weston

Friday, 1st June 2018

A few weeks ago both my son and I woke up at 5 in the morning because he decided he'd had enough of sleep, so I switched on the TV and we watched TBN channel together while having breakfast. Joyce Meyer was speaking at that time and she said that it's important we celebrate and enjoy our (life's) journey instead of postponing and focusing too much on arriving at our destiny. Two hours later Pastor Joseph Prince came on TBN and in his sermon (The Healing Power of A Joyful Heart) he made reference to Proverbs 17:22 A merry (happy) heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

In that same week, my son climbed onto my HP printer sat there, looked me in the eye, smiled and said, "Are you happy being busy?" Bear in mind my son (who is 21 months old) could only speak a few words but he has amazed us by speaking in complete sentences out of the blue a few times now. Neither my husband nor me have asked each other that question so I believe in Matthew 21:16 (and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus replied to them, “Yes; have you never read [in the Scripture], ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared and provided praise for Yourself’?”) God can also use a donkey to speak (Numbers 22:28-30) hence how much more a toddler.

No denying I've been busy and getting busier each day but I've learnt that busyness is not the lifestyle that God wants for us. I've also learnt that things would have been easier if we first pray and commit to the Lord all our cares and everyday tasks rather than just get on with things first and handle everything using our own wisdom, knowledge and strength first then only pray when problem(s) arises. 

Proverb 16:3
Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him],
And your plans will succeed.

I've also learnt that if we want to have time doing all the things we want to do and much more, let's first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. (Matthew 6:33). Pray, spending quiet time before His presence to listen and allow Him to refresh us, study His word and worship Him, you'll amaze how God will reward us back with time when we have first invested our time fellowshipping with Him. It's when we're too busy to pause for the Lord that we find that time just slipping away so quickly.

Sometimes we are so task-oriented or destiny-focused that we forget to enjoy the journey and the process. We must recognise that God richly and ceaselessly provides us with all things for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17); hence don't be too serious with life that we forget we are people in the Kingdom of God having righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Righteousness, peace and joy are our inheritance and these are the fruits (of our lives) that people see. Also don't be too money driven and trying hard to accumulate wealth or make ends meet that we're too busy for God and our loved ones and lose our priorities and joy. God promised us in Proverb 10:3 The Lord will not allow the soul of the righteous to hunger [God will meet all his needs]. 

Although this blog article was long overdue, I decided yesterday and the day before to take things easy. Having just 4 to 5 hours sleep a day has been a norm to me lately but it's not good. So two nights ago, Jean-Luc slept at 7pm till the next morning so my husband and I had the luxury of having dinner in peace and enjoyed a movie together; while yesterday I decided to take an afternoon nap while Jean-Luc was asleep. This is quite rare nowadays as I usually want to get on with things; but I decided to "enjoy" a short afternoon nap and I was surprised that I still had time to bake a lemon cake apart from cooking. So it proves that when we take time to rest and enjoy life's journey (instead of being task/destiny-oriented) we see more of God's grace and provision. We achieve and accomplish much more in peace and in the rhythm of His grace. 

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

1 Timothy 6:17
As for the rich in this present world, instruct them not to be conceited and arrogant, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

NB: No child labour involved here with the pictures below as my 21 month old enjoys playing with the broom.