We need to get our priorities right, including how we spend our time:
This is not the article I had planned to write and post today. Indeed, just minutes earlier it was not even on my radar. But a very recent development led me to drop other articles I have been working on and pen this new piece. So here it is, and let me explain the rationale for it.
As my title indicates, yes we are all so busy – often with very good things. But sadly sometimes the better things can be overlooked when we do the good – and not so good – things. Sometimes what really matters is overlooked for that which is not so important.
As is often said: The good is often the enemy of the best. We can be involved in good things, projects, activities, work, relationships and so on. But oftentimes they are not the best things, projects, activities, work, relationships and so on.
We need wisdom and discernment to know what we should devote most of our time, attention and concern to. We must guard against being so busy that we miss out on what God has for us. Plenty of believers have written on such themes over the years.
Back in 2013 Kevin DeYoung released the book Crazy Busy. Let me offer just two quotes from it:
Busyness kills more Christians than bullets. How many sermons are stripped of their power by lavish dinner preparations and professional football? How many moments of pain are wasted because we never sat still enough to learn from them? How many times of private and family worship have been crowded out by soccer and school projects? We need to guard our hearts. The seed of God’s Word won’t grow to fruitfulness without pruning for rest, quiet, and calm.
And again:
So don’t ignore the physical danger of busyness. Just remember the most serious threats are spiritual. When we are crazy busy, we put our souls at risk. The challenge is not merely to make a few bad habits go away. The challenge is not to let our spiritual lives slip away.
Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problemby DeYoung, Kevin (Author)
I write all this because of something that may not mean much to others, but has had a big impact on myself. Let me explain. I always get zillions of emails, so it recently became clear to me that I need to do some pruning – big time. And that I have been doing over the past few days.
I have been quite drastic in this, with tens of thousands of emails chopped down to a few thousand. First, I bulk-deleted all emails before 2021. Then I much more carefully went through the past few years’ worth. And heaps of these were deleted as well.
I of course came upon a number of emails from my late wife. Reading them, it is as if she is still talking to me. And it hurts of course. Most of her emails I will keep, but one I read today really hit me. She had sent it to me on September 18, 2022 (some 8 months after we learned about her cancer, and around 10 months before she passed).
It simply said this: “My new favourite song. Can have this one at my funeral too (hopefully not in the near future).”
Now I take a quick look at all emails that come to me, deleting many, reading many, and replying to some. I would have glanced over this when it came, but I did not click on her link. Well, I just did today and yes, it is a very good song indeed. But regrettably because I had not paid more attention to it, and not listened to it when she wanted me to, I had forgotten all about it. And so it was not featured at her funeral, as she had requested.
Now I feel quite bad and sad about all this. More tears. Sorry Averil, I will try to make it up to you! Moral of the story: we are all busy, but if you get a message from a loved one, especially a dying loved one, make sure you read/listen to everything. Even if they are young and fit, still make sure you pay more attention to them, and do not let busyness get in your way.
Mind you, she had requested a few hymns as well, which we did feature at the funeral service. And I had found just days or a week before the service the beautiful song “Trust In You” performed by Elenyi. I did make use of it at the funeral and I still love it. Playing the song again also brings back more tears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1xlpcu3gsU
Yes, when I read that email of hers ten months ago, I was probably busy, and probably busy doing things for Christ and the Kingdom. But still… How many other times was I so busy doing even good things that I missed out on what might have been better things?
We all can let the good become the enemy of the best. We need to be sensitive to God and his Spirit to know what matters the most and what can be left for another time. Workaholics are not just the only ones who need to learn this lesson.
As has been said, no one on their deathbed will wish they had spent more time at the office. They will regret not having spent their time more wisely, especially with family, friends and loved ones. As I have shared often of late, the lyrics of one old song always apply here.
In 1970 Joni Mitchell had this memorable line in her song Big Yellow Taxi: “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone?” It came from a piece I penned four months before Averil went to be with the Lord: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2023/03/09/please-dont-take-things-for-granted/
I cannot live my life over again. But for the remaining months or years that I have left on this earth, I can ask God to help me to be less busy, more focused on the things that matter, and less inattentive to those around me. Lord, please help me in this regard.
Is He Worthy?
Let me close by again mentioning the Chris Tomlin worship song that Averil had tried to alert me to. In addition to the video that I linked to above of the original 2018 song performed by Tomlin, a social media friend sent me another version of it. It comes from a recent conference held in California. A few months ago a large choir sang it to some 5000 pastors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv4cOiVS12Y
As one comment says about the video: “Unforgettable! It was indeed a taste of heaven on earth!” It is certainly a very powerful song. Whatever version of it you listen to (and please do), here are the lyrics:
Do you feel the world is broken?
(We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen?
(We do)
But do you know that all the dark won’t
Stop the light from getting through?
(We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
We do)
Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He was David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is
Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)
Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
Thanks Bill for your article which certainly was from your heart. It’s now just over 2 years since my dear wife passed and I’ve had times of regret as well. I think it’s common in all grief to have some regrets at least.
I agree absolutely that we have to check our use of time as Christians. My pastor recently referred to the story of Martha and Mary with the theme of dealing with anxiety. Martha had good intentions but was distracted by her busyness. Our Lord commended Mary who had made the better choice that day of sitting at His feet and listening.
“Is He worthy”: Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive. Released in 2018 on Mr. Peterson’s album “Resurrection Letters, Volume I,” which Mr. Shive produced.
Great song! Definitely going be one of songs that never get old. I love how it captures that moment in heaven when no one can be found who is worthy, until Jesus comes on the scene! Aaaaah! Love it!
Thanks Bill for your article which certainly was from your heart. It’s now just over 2 years since my dear wife passed and I’ve had times of regret as well. I think it’s common in all grief to have some regrets at least.
I agree absolutely that we have to check our use of time as Christians. My pastor recently referred to the story of Martha and Mary with the theme of dealing with anxiety. Martha had good intentions but was distracted by her busyness. Our Lord commended Mary who had made the better choice that day of sitting at His feet and listening.
“Is He worthy”: Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive. Released in 2018 on Mr. Peterson’s album “Resurrection Letters, Volume I,” which Mr. Shive produced.
Great song! Definitely going be one of songs that never get old. I love how it captures that moment in heaven when no one can be found who is worthy, until Jesus comes on the scene! Aaaaah! Love it!