Socrates was famously credited with saying, "The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living", and in this quick hit Ben examines our cultures' obsession with busyness as a means of status, albeit a source of extreme anxiety.
What does this say about our society, that used to value a person's leisure time as a measure of their value? How do we correctly deal with busyness in our lives as followers of Jesus?
This is the New Year's resolution that should be on the top of your list. What's up guys? This is Ben from Provoked Inspired. This is another quick hit episode where I take something from culture or from the times we're living in and I ask the question what would Jesus think and what would Jesus do? And hopefully in five minutes or less. If you like this channel, if this is interesting, please share it with someone, subscribe, leave a comment, interact in some way. That would be much appreciated. Otherwise, let's do it.
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I woke up with a pit in my stomach again Later. This would inspire me to write these lyrics Rescue my restless heart. These lies are tearing me apart and I know I can't go on like this. In the middle of it, I couldn't figure out what was going on. As I searched for the cause of my anxiety, it became clear I was trying to do too much. Something needed to change.
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And, speaking of cliches, socrates famously said A life unexamined is not worth living, and that's what I tried to do. I resolved to stop what I was doing and question my hectic life and the culture that promoted it. How did things get like this? Why are we all so busy? In some cases, it's accidental. We just keep saying yes to things and before long we're drowning. Others have bought into the culture's elevation of busyness as a status symbol, which is weird. For most of history, success and leisure time were directly linked the more prosperous someone was, the more they had time to do nothing. Now, the opposite is true. As Georgetown researcher Sylvia Belaza points out, a busy and overworked lifestyle, rather than a leisurely lifestyle, has become an aspirational status symbol. She argues that being busy projects competence and the aura of being in demand.
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Now back to the pit. In my stomach, it was clear that I had adopted this modern notion that doing is what gave me value. Recording a podcast, writing a blog, creating a song, going on a tour these were the things that gave me a sense of worth. Look, I've always been ambitious, and that isn't necessarily bad. But as the YouTuber Casey Neistat recently said, the monster of ambition is only fed in the doing. And, if I'm honest, doing my daily tasks felt more like being on a treadmill than on a path. It was as if I was constantly moving but never getting anywhere. In my quest to find peace, I felt like God led me to three crucial truths. Through them, I hope you will also find a remedy for your restless heart.
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Number one first things first. Getting the foundation right is the first step to putting ambition in its proper place. Look, god desires for us to dream big and to put our time and talents to good use, but being a Christian has never been about what we do. The only thing that satiates the deepest longings of our hearts is a personal, intimate relationship with the creator of the universe. The tasks we accomplish cannot add or take away from our worth that is already safe. For this reason, nothing can take priority over time spent with God.
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The secret to overcoming the monster of ambition lies in putting first things first. Number two you can't do it. John 15.5 says I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me and I and you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. Look, this is bad news for anyone wanting to take credit for the work they do, but incredibly liberating for a follower of Jesus desiring freedom from a weight they were never asked to carry. The antidote to an identity built on busyness is daily reminding ourselves that, apart from God, we can do nothing. Number three just say no.
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My pastor said something recently that deeply challenged me. He was talking about all of the ill effects of individualism on our spiritual lives, one of which is busyness. He pointed out that we say yes far too often and so many of us fallen into the pattern of filling every moment of every day with activity. When is the last time you said no, he asked, and not just so that you could fill that gap with something else. What if we had time in our schedule with absolutely nothing planned? I was struck by how simple his advice was and how rare it was for me to follow through on it. So just say no to busyness and drugs. You need to leave space to think, to rest, to reflect and to simply be still.
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Back to the lyrics, my anxiety inspired. It ends with the words why do I keep on running these lies? They keep on coming. We cannot ignore the problem of busyness in our lives. No one is immune, but there is hope. God has a design for your life that is both fruitful and filled with peace. These are not mutually exclusive. I think King David saw it clearly when he wrote be still and know that I am God. If we can grasp this, there will be rest for our hearts and we will have the proper perspective to accomplish great things, all the while knowing that God supplies the power and we are simply along for the ride.
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Alright, well, that's it for Provoke and Inspire Quick Hit. Hopefully it was encouraging to you. As we go into a new year, I would encourage you to seek God unlike ever before, to not give into the trap of busyness, to not be conformed to the patterns of this world. God has an extraordinary plan for you, and it's so much better than the lies that the world has on offer. So let's all take that to heart and make 2024 an amazing year. Leave us a comment down below, let us know what you think, share this content with people that might be encouraged by it, and that's it. Talk to you next time. Peace.