Are We Listening to God or Are We Too Busy?

Busyness, this is what plagues America.  The driving force that keeps us separated from a true, authentic relationship with God and Jesus.  We just get too busy.  As the world progresses, Satan has got everybody in one big hurry.  Every year the internet gets faster and faster.  We live in an instantaneous, “now” life, where when we want it, we want it.  That goes for phone calls, pictures, and information access.  We live in a bigger, better, more society where our social life has to be live or we might not make it until tomorrow.  Not even 110 years ago or so, we were in a horse and buggy world.  We actually had time to talk and relax, but now we have our plates so full that the one thing that should be the most important and imperative is the last thing on our list of to-dos and if we don’t get to it, then oh well. 

That sadly is our relationship with God, our Bible time, our devotion, our worship, and our evangelism.  We get so wrapped up with our life on this earth, our little 70-90 years living on this planet, that we don’t even consider that we might be completely neglecting our eternal life’s future.  Children have parents running all over for extra school activities, sports, and friends that they are missing their teachable, parenting moments.

I mean we push our kids off to school where their minds will be filled with the thoughts and actions of hundreds of other children.  They will be influenced by our teachers and curriculum; their focus will be that of the minds of children.  They will do this all day, every day, and when they come home they have to do homework, play games, and watch videos.  Parents, on the other hand, are out working or shopping, doing what they do, dealing with life.  They come home to rush their kids to practice, to eat, to get their homework done.  This is no better than the morning rush/routine, so the week flies by and no one had time for anyone.  There is a lot of stress, anxiety, and conflict.  Then the weekend is here, we have things to do, places to go, people to see, the kids sleep in, they are up late, or they have practice.  We need to rush, we have dinner plans, hurry, rush, and argue.  We read in Philippians 4:6-7

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

And in Ephesians 4:2  “Be always humble, gentle, and patient.  Show your love by being tolerant with one another.”

We need a hard reset.  Nothing is that pressing in life.  We are missing our relationships that matter, the relationship with our spouse, the relationship with our kids.  Slow down, stay home, find peace and contentment.  If we are always running, how can we listen?  How can we have a truly meaningful conversation with God or Jesus?  The fact is we can’t.

Sit at the table with your husband with some coffee or tea, open your Bibles and let God talk to you.  Listen to His Word and understand it.  Hang out with your children and plant seeds; teach them the Godly lessons that are right in the Word of God.  Prepare them for the future because if you don’t, believe you me, the devil will.  He makes it really easy.  His ways are being done all around them, so if we don’t slow our roll and listen to God and heed His advice, we too will be among the masses wandering amiss.

God wants our attention and I think as someone who proclaims to be a walking Christian, we certainly should be demonstrating our true colors and patience and self-control fall into this category.  Just listen to God’s voice and slow down to horse and buggy speed, even if it’s just for a day, so you can experience God’s peace and His rest.  God is always happy when we take the time to converse with him, making known our needs.  He loves us so much and truly wants an authentic, transparent relationship with us and believe me when I say, He is always there for us.  We, on the other hand, just need to recognize and acknowledge that fact.  We have to stop letting Satan blind us to this fictitious, superficial life that dangles in front of us and be still.  It says in Psalm 46:10  “Be still, and know that I am God!  I will be honored by every nation.  I will be honored throughout the world.”  Let me encourage you today, put your phone down, clear your schedule, and spend time with your Creator, with your Savior, for this is their yearning, so make it yours.