The Devil is Never Too Busy

Have you ever heard the old saying,

 “The Devil is never too busy to rock the cradle of a sleeping saint?”

Well, this morning I had an epiphany of sorts. 

I have been so busy of late that I feel like I never sleep.  Maybe in body, but not in mind. I never seem to be able to fit all I have to do into the 24 hours that God has given me each day. I know it’s not that He hasn’t given me enough hours, but it’s my lack of correct prioritizing and use of time that’s the problem. 

Anyway, back to my epiphany. 

I made up a new saying of my own. 

“The Devil is so busy throwing toys and activities

 and numerous distractions into the cradle, that we don’t have time or room to sleep!” 

We let him fill up our days with unimportant ‘stuff’, with wasteful activities, with mind-numbing, brain deadening, soul-destroying entertainment, that we no longer have time to sleep. 

And you know, it’s not always bad things that we fill our days with. Did you know that you can fill your days with the Lord’s work, and yet, be too busy for the Lord? How does that work?

Luke 10:41-42

 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Well, God intends for us to work hard in His service and give our all to Him. But when we become so busy doing good works for Him, that we fail to take time to sit at His feet, we have neglected the important for the urgent. We have our priorities out of whack. 

Life in this day and age is so frenzied. We are like ants, scurrying back and forth from one task to the next, never stopping to rest, always running, always busy. But are we busy doing the best things? Is what we’re doing working for an eternal good? Could we be putting our energies into one ‘good’ thing instead of many ‘mediocre’ things. Sometimes less is actually more. 

In the long run, we can accomplish more when we focus on one important job, than when we try to juggle many urgent jobs.

I am still learning this truth and it’s been a struggle knowing what to hold on to and what to let go of. It’s not easy deciding what to keep and what to toss. A bit like decluttering your house. 

We need God’s wisdom in making our decisions. We need His guidance. 

Proverbs 3:6

 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

But I do know that I need to be very careful of how I fill my days. I know from experience that it’s a lot easier filling them than it is emptying them. 

And yes, there are a lot of sleeping saints that the Devil is content to continue rocking, but if he can’t keep you asleep, he will keep you busy. Read that again. 

If he can’t keep you asleep, he’ll keep you busy! 

He knows that busyness leads to tiredness which leads to carelessness which leads to neglect. Neglect of time spent with the Lord. Neglect of time spent in fellowship with other believers. Neglect in studying the Word of God. 

People like to say, “You’re busy. At least it keeps you out of trouble!” No way! What kind of trouble are we talking about? Because I know the busier I get, the less time I have for times of quiet and study and prayer. The less time I have for others. The more time I try and squeeze in for myself, thinking that somehow I am owed ‘me time’. 

Nope. Busier is not always better. 

The Devil will continually throw things into your cradle if you’re not contentedly sleeping. He will use whatever it takes to distract you from what is important. Just like a child that has too many toys in their cot to be able to sleep. Distracted. Busy. Restless. 

So, purpose today, not to give him an inch of room. No sleeping on the job, but no slaving on the job either. A good balance. A balance that only the Lord can give you. God is not the author of confusion.  That’s the Devil’s work. 

1 Corinthians 14:33 

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

 God is the only one that can bring our priorities into order. He is the only one that can truly show us what to keep and what to toss.

He is the only one that can bring peace. True peace. 

Philippians 4:7

 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Purpose today to throw out the distractions and the unimportant busyness and focus on what God would have you do. Don’t let the Devil give you anymore ‘toys’ to play with. 

No decision made without prayer. 

Nothing added to your list of to do’s without prayer.

No saying yes to another job without prayer.

Wake up!

Ephesians 5:14 

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest,

 and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Find the balance!