My theology of being busy

I hear comments so often that I am busy, I am energetic, I get a lot done, I am always on the go. OK, here are my thoughts on that. There is much to do for the kingdom of God.

2 Thess 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.
Gal 6:9-10 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
I know, there is a balance to this.

John 15:4 " Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

I believe that as we abide in Christ, He sends us to do His work. Of course, anything that I am trying to do in my own strength, with my own natural resources will not be fruitful, it will amount to nothing. The thing is, I don’t see a lot of excess in doing good works among Christians. I don’t see a lot of Christians preaching the gospel too often, spreading the love of God too far. I don’t want to waste too much time trying to be absolutely sure that what I have on my heart to do is from God. I believe God is saying go, and I want to be spent on the cause of Christ.

The great teaching about being still comes from the story of Mary and Martha. We all know the story. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus while Martha scurried about preparing a meal. Martha went to Jesus as recorded in Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Jesus did not tell Martha that she was too busy, He told her she was worried and bothered about so many things, but the one thing necessary was to be near Jesus. I know that for me, being worried and bothered does not necessarily go with being busy. I can sit at home doing nothing and be worried and bothered. On the other hand, I can go from sun up to sun down and never be worried or bothered.

Of course, being still, sitting at the feet of Jesus, spending time in prayer and Bible study are absolutely essential to a healthy Christian life. I would never suggest that we would skip that. It’s just that I so strongly believe that, much of the time we are serving other people in some way, we also are in God’s presence. Jesus did not call to Martha to come in and sit down. Jesus responded to Martha when she complained about the work and about her sister. If I am happy and mentally at rest while I am busy, then I believe that means I have some balance. If I am worried and bothered, that is a signal that I need to stop and find out if I am doing what Jesus has sent me to do, or if I am just doing something that needs to be done.

I believe that I can have a Mary heart in a Martha life. I must have that time “in the garden, alone” where Jesus “walks with me and talks with me and tells me I am His own.” Then I hear Him tell me, now go and help other people know me.