Why So Busy?

SPRING BREAK!!!!!

A wonderful week for college students. No papers, no reading, no classes. No pressure. No due dates. No homework. Nothing.

But, we normally fill the space with as much fun, "relaxing," stuff as we can.

As I'm heading into my spring break, I am pondering the question of why do we make ourselves soooo busy?

Because personally, my life right now is rather insane. You have no idea how happy I am to be on break right now.

When someone asks me how things are going, I usually respond in one of two ways:
1). Busy!
2). Crazy busy!

When someone asks how I am doing, I have two rehearsed answers, either one of which may apply at any moment:
1). Good
2). Tired

I'm guessing I'm not alone in this. In fact, I know I'm not alone in this. Maybe it's just a Bible college thing, but the majority of my friends usually find themselves in this place as well.

So I am asking, why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we cram so much into our lives?

I am especially asking this question because I myself have a habit of cramming as much as possible into my life. And going and going and going and going till I have run myself to the ground. As many credits as possible, as many music opportunities as possible, as many jobs as possible, as many leadership opportunities as possible...and this results in as much homework as possible, as few free weekends as possible, as much muisc practice as possible, and as little sleep as possible.

Why?

What it is about being busy?

I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't think we're just supposed to sit around doing nothing all day. We are supposed to work and do things and be productive. It's good to do things and to "have a life," if you will. And we fill our lives with good things! School and church and bible studies and extra curricular activites and jobs and friends and families...all really good things!

But why do we run around like chickens with our heads caught off?

Is anyone else asking this question? Does anyone else find themselves in the place of utter exhaustion, feeling like you have nothing left to give to anything or anybody? And does anyone else find themselves so busy, with so much scheduled into their day, that time at the feet of our Savior is compromised or done away with altogether? And does anyone else find that when they do have time to spend with Jesus, that it's hard to focus because there are a million other things calling out your name?

Why do we do this?

We all know the story of Martha and how Jesus chided her because she was so busy doing that she forogt to just be. To spend time at the feet of the Lord. We know that we aren't supposed to be like her, right?

So why do we still do it?

God dropped an answer for myself on me at church this morning. But it was very specific to me. I'm guessing we all make ourselves busy for different reasons. I may blog later this week about what God showed me about the state of my own heart, and some things that He has been showing me about this in general, but what about you? As I process this topic this week, would you join me? Can we examine our hearts together and honestly ask God, "why do I put so much into my life that I crowd You out?"

Because I'm pretty sure that while God intends us to be about His business, He never intended us to put so much into our lives that we end up putting Him to the side or wearing ourselves out so thin.

What do you think? Do you find yourself in this place sometimes? Is your life insane? Do you have time for Jesus?