We are just too busy!
My job back in the 1990’s took me to New York and Wall Street on a
regular, almost weekly basis. The New York and Wall Street busyness was clearly
evident and noticeable as it was a dramatic contrast from the daily lifestyle
of those of us that lived in the Midwest.
Today, that New York busyness has invaded the North, South, East and West. It is normative in
our workplace, our schools, our churches and our families. Everyone I meet is busy. Our computers, smart phones, the Internet and
endless cable TV programs have created an environment where we believe we need
to be busy every waking hour of the day.
Back before all this technology, I have to admit that
I was rarely able to keep my workday to just eight hours. It wasn’t unusual for
me to put in ten hours in the office, as there were opportunities for those of
us that were committed to putting in some casual overtime. A conscientious and hardworking employee
often became a conscientious and hardworking manager and I rose to the
occasion.
With our smart phones and computers we now work many more hours as our work will follow us home.
Most of the people that I know spend not only a few hours on their
computers at home on work related tasks but their smart phone will capture
their attention long into the evening.
People now get up and immediately look at their iPhone or Droid as emails are
expected to be replied to within a day and often a business culture requires
texts to be replied to within hours.
For those that are not preoccupied with their careers and
employers' demands, there have been plenty of other things that keep us
busy. From playing League of Legends on
the computer to FarmVille on Facebook, we are busy and even hurried through our
day.
Being hurried through the day is in deep contrast to the
example of Jesus who never seemed to be in a hurry. Jesus not only refused to be hurried, but
prayer and solitude was a regular part of his daily routine. Jesus told his disciples, ‘Come with me by
yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by
themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (Mark 6:31-32). This practice of solitude was a practice of
many in the early church. Not only did
monks and hermits practice solitude, but the Rules of St. Benedict of prayer, work, study, hospitality and
renewal were embraced by both clergy and the common people.
By definition, to hurry is to act with haste, to perform
in an unusually accelerated manner. One
of the ways to understand what hurry does in our lives is that it makes us scattered,
un-deliberate, and seemingly haphazard.
Its time to slow down.
I would actually recommend that we slow down and eliminated
some worthless activities, and that we embrace the ancient, but important,
discipline of contemplation and solitude.
A great way to start is to find thirty minutes to sixty
minutes each day to be quiet. Let's quiet our
smart phone, our TV and computer and discover what it is like to be silent.
Being silent and practicing the ever presence of God is a amazing way to begin
to hear that inner voice. Being quiet
and silent is also a way to reflect on what God is accomplishing or wants to
accomplish in our lives. Being silent
can be actually more productive in the long run as it builds self and helps us prioritize. During our quiet time, let's thank God and listen so that we may hear the answers to the many questions and
prayers we have been asking.
