What Could Be Pushing God Right Out Of Your Life

Busyness.jpeg

WHAT A RECENT SURVEY REVEALED

A recent survey of twenty thousand Christians from around the world revealed that busyness and constant overload were two of the the major reasons that God is being pushed right out of their lives.

Michael Zigarelli, professor of management at the Charleston University School of Business, who conducted the survey, describes a vicious cycle of busyness and constant overload that eventually erodes our spiritual lives.

Here’s how he explains this cycle of busyness.

  • Christians are assimilating a culture of busyness, hurry and overload, which leads to

  • God becoming more marginalized in our lives, which leads to

  • A deteriorating relationship with God, which leads to

  • Christians becoming even more vulnerable to adopting secular assumptions about how to live, which leads to

  • More conformity to a culture of busyness, hurry and overload.

And then the cycle begins again.

PASTORS AND CHRISTIAN LEADERS AREN’T EXEMPT

This is itself a sad state of affairs, but it gets worse. Tellingly, the survey reveals that pastors and Christian leaders seem to be as caught up in the culture of busyness as anyone else.

A full 65% of pastors (right up there with lawyers, managers, and nurses) are among the most likely to rush from task to task in a way that interferes with their relationship with God.

It’s ironic that the very people who could best help us escape

the bondage of busyness are themselves in chains.

I’M GUILTY!

As a follower of Jesus Christ (and a former pastor), I’m guilty.

At times, and more than once, I’ve been consumed by busyness and in the rush and running from here to there, I’ve left God behind. Just recently I’ve ruthlessly recommitted to honoring one full day a week that’s entirely dedicated to rest, renewal, and realignment. Honoring a weekly day of rest has already helped me return to a life of sanity.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

How about you? Are you letting the cycle of busyness push God right out of your life? It’s like exchanging sawdust for gold. And as you and I both know, it’s simply not worth it.

Slowing Down

Ken

*This material is an excerpt from Ruth Haley Barton’s book, Strengthening The Soul Of Your Leadership

Ken Roberts