“If the devil can’t make us bad, he will make us busy.” –Corrie Ten Boom

Are you feeling overwhelmed?

Busyness is the new social status measure.
It is now a status symbol to be overwhelmed and busy.  People have come to believe if you are busy all the time, then you must be invaluable and very important.

Filling up our lives with everything from early morning until late at night, will never give us a feeling of satisfaction of life well lived.

Mark 6:31, Jesus and his disciples have been in the crowds all day.  They are tired and hungry. The apostles had just told Jesus about John the Baptist execution.  They were grieving at the loss of a friend and family member.  Jesus looks at the disciples and says, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.”

I believe Jesus still calls us to “come away and rest.” It is Satan who does not want us to slow down and sit at Jesus feet.  We need renewal for our body, soul and spirits.  All of life is a balancing act.  We are created to do the works God preordained for us.  But we are also told to “be still and know.”(Psalm 46:10)  We must “work for the night is coming when no man can work.” (John 9:4)  But Jesus also said, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 TLB)

What are we to do?

Stop- Find a quiet spot- talk with Jesus
Psalms 61:2 “O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed.”
Psalms 142:3 “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.”  In this passage, David is hiding in a cave!  He was overwhelmed by his enemies searching for him.   He cries out to God, “They have hidden a trap for me.”  The enemy of our soul, Satan, would love to make us feel trapped in our lives and be overwhelmed by circumstance.
We must remember, Satan is a liar!

I came across this verse this week and found it to be very helpful. Psalms 127:2 “It is vain for you to rise early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”   This psalm is from Solomon.  He begins by saying “unless the Lord builds the house. they labor is vain who build it.” Unless our lives, our house, is built by the Lord we are spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. The plans of the Lord for us are for good and not harm.  If we will turn to him and find what He desires, He will give us rest.  He will take our burden and make our work light.

We have had vacation bible school this week.  It has been wonderful.  I have not had the opportunity for help with VBS in many years.  Retirement gives me a chance to do somethings that I haven’t been able to do while working.  Today I prayed with five little 2nd graders who wanted to know more about how to become a follower of Jesus.  What a blessing to know God is still working on hearts to know Him more.

Doing God’s business trumps the social status of busyness!

John 4:10 “If you only knew what a wonderful gift God has for you, and who I am, you would ask me for some living water.” (L

Nothing refreshes a dry thirsty soul like THE living water that Jesus longs to give. Busyness keeps us dry and thirsty all the time. (TLB)
We are never satisfied! There is always “one more thing to do!” Jesus says, “Come to the well.”

Come to the Well by Casting Crowns
https://youtu.be/bW5unzXXC0k

Not treading today! Floating and resting!

Freda Reynolds