"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy… from the anxieties of daily life.”
– Luke 21:34
Everyone is busy. You are busy. I am busy. We are all busy! But what exactly are we all so busy doing? Sending emails, running errands, doing chores, working, studying, you name it.
Perhaps a better question is, why are we all so busy? I think, at least in the United States, the problem lies in the fact that we define ourselves based upon what we do and what we achieve. We base our self-worth on our job title or the car we drive or what kind of trophies are on our mantle. Thus, we are constantly in a race to be someone and to get something.
Isn’t it tiring? How often do you simply feel exhausted by what seems to be the ever increasing demands of life? Beware, for they are the pressures of the world, not of God. As Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Too often we can become like Jesus’ friend Martha and lose sight of what is really important. That’s why our Lord scolded her, saying, “You are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing” (Luke 10: 41-42).
What is that one thing? God, Himself. He is the fulfillment of our deepest desires. He is our peace. He is our joy. And only in Him can we find our true identity.
At the end of the day, we are not defined by our stuff or our accolades. We are defined by our relationship with the Lord. We are defined by the fact that through Christ we become God’s own Sons and Daughters. “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are” (1 John 3:1).
That does not mean that your other activities are not important. They are just not as important as you often believe them to be. They can potentially lead you closer to the Lord, but they do not determine your worth – only He does. The good news is that He thought you were worth so much that He was willing to die for you.
The other good news is that He will be back before you know it to call you to Himself. That is what Advent celebrates. So, as we enter this holy Season of preparation, we must rouse our drowsy hearts and ready them for that day. The only thing we need to be busy doing now is loving God and one another.
Come, Lord Jesus, and set our hearts on fire with love for You. Help us cast aside the anxieties of our daily lives and focus solely upon the hope of Your Kingdom. Amen.