Get Busy!
My husband and I have a busy life. We constantly have something to do or some place to be. I love it, but there are times I wish we had more down time. As I was thinking that a few weeks ago, though, God taught me something important: Having God give you something to constantly work at is a blessing. Being busy for God is a blessing.
Busy people don't have time to entertain as many sins and temptations as those who are idle. When you are idle you have a lot of free time and plenty of time to let your thoughts roam unguarded. It is in those thoughts that you become tempted. And, if you have a lot of free time, you have more time to get into situations that don't please God. Of course rest is important, but if you're leading an unfruitful life then that's a problem.
The Bible talks about the vice of being lazy or idle. Ecclesiastes 10:18 (NLT) says, “Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.” Idle people are too lazy to take care of what needs to get done, they do the bare minimum and so what they have eventually falls apart.
Jesus equates a strong walk with God with a person building a strong foundation. He said, “'So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins'” (Luke 6:46-49 NLT). Those who have a strong foundation work diligently to secure what they have and do. Just look at Jesus' parable. The person who built the strong foundation had to work harder for it. He/she had to dig into rock. But the lazy person only did as much as they saw a need for (many times they don't even do that much!). They do less and poorer work and so they do not have anything that lasts.
The lazy person takes the easy way out, but there is no easy way when it comes to our walk with God. Jesus referred to His followers as servants/workers (see Matthew 9:35-38 and Mark 9:35). They are hardworking people. Those who are busy doing what God has called them to may have less free time than those who are idle, but they are purposeful with their time. They are accomplishing a great deal for God's kingdom. They may be exhausted but they are also leading fulfilled lives. They don't have as much space in their day to entertain sin because when they do have free time, often, they are tired and so they use that time to rest or refuel. Idle/lazy people are often searching for more. Many times they feel empty and try to fill that space with junk. The person working hard to fulfill God's calling, however, knows they have purpose. It isn't just their lives that are full, but their hearts as well.
Busy/hardworking people are the kind of Christians God wants because instead of making excuses for not doing something, they get things done. Each of us has a calling and time is limited. We need to be careful with how we use the time allotted to us because each of us will be called into account for how we used our time (read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30). Be careful not to desire to constantly do nothing. That is an unguarded and unblessed life. Instead, get busy if you aren't. Get to what God has called you to right now. Let Him show you the work that needs to be done.
Having "nothing to do" is not in God's vocabulary and it shouldn't be in ours. Jesus told the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37 NIV). There will never be nothing to do (join a ministry at your church; minister to those around you; find ways to spread the Gospel-write, film, draw...be creative!; raise money for missionaries, your church, or different projects aimed at ministering to people; pray for all these things; donate clothes or items you don't want or need-or that you made...There is so much you can do!). Don't fall into the idleness trap. It is easy to get stuck in a lack of motivation. You need to train yourself to work hard. The only way to do that is by getting to work.
Busy/hardworking people are the kind of Christians God wants because instead of making excuses for not doing something, they get things done. Each of us has a calling and time is limited. We need to be careful with how we use the time allotted to us because each of us will be called into account for how we used our time (read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30). Be careful not to desire to constantly do nothing. That is an unguarded and unblessed life. Instead, get busy if you aren't. Get to what God has called you to right now. Let Him show you the work that needs to be done.
Having "nothing to do" is not in God's vocabulary and it shouldn't be in ours. Jesus told the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37 NIV). There will never be nothing to do (join a ministry at your church; minister to those around you; find ways to spread the Gospel-write, film, draw...be creative!; raise money for missionaries, your church, or different projects aimed at ministering to people; pray for all these things; donate clothes or items you don't want or need-or that you made...There is so much you can do!). Don't fall into the idleness trap. It is easy to get stuck in a lack of motivation. You need to train yourself to work hard. The only way to do that is by getting to work.
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