I Know You’re Busy, But……

I wanted to revisit a topic I wrote about recently. The subject of busyness. In my recent post, I mentioned a phrase I had read, “I’m not busy – I’m where I belong”.

Since writing that post, the subject of busyness has come up quite frequently, in podcasts, in sermons, in conversations etc.

I suppose it’s a pretty hot topic as we all live busy lives, and most of us are busy with some occupation or another. Whether it be full-time home-schooling, a career, volunteering, ministering in the church, or a hands-full young mother of toddlers. Whatever the case may be, we all seem to be running full steam ahead, leading very busy lives.

As I listened to a podcast yesterday, while I had some down time and a free moment to do some sewing (which is very rare for me nowadays), I heard one of the speakers mention that a friend had said to her, “I know you’re busy, but….”

And straight away I went ‘OUCH!’. Because it is something that frequently gets thrown my way. That sentence frequently comes up in conversation with others and directed towards me.

It made me stop and think about my availability and my approachableness.

Am I seen as too busy? Unapproachable? Disconnected?

Do others tend to keep me out of the loop or not invite me to get togethers because they think I’ll be too busy anyway? Or is it because they see me as disconnected and not really interested in the lives of others?

Whatever the reason, I don’t want it to be like that. I want to eradicate statements like that. I want to be available as much as possible. I want people to feel free to chat to me and sit down over coffee and share what is on their heart.

Over the past few years, I have come to realise the absolute necessity of community. Christian fellowship. Friendships and relationships that go beyond a Sunday morning greeting, a handshake and a comment about the weather.

Tonight, I will be speaking to our Ladies Bible Study on the subject of true Christian fellowship. I am so excited to share what God has shown me in his Word on this topic and the many verses where it is mentioned. I think we may often get it all wrong. (more on this topic in a future post)

We draw close to God when we abide in him, when we get into his Word, commune with him daily, love and obey him, but we also draw close to God when we draw close to his people.

We were made for connection. Our souls need community. We need each other. No matter how much you may think you can master it all on your own and no matter how independent you are, you need others. And others need you!

We need each other to be an encouragement in our walk with God. We need each other to challenge one another, to bear one another’s burdens. We need each other to lean on when times are tough, and to rejoice when joy is overflowing, and the blessings abound.

I was convicted by a sentence I heard in the podcast, and I had to stop and write it down to share with you and to have as a reminder to myself.

“If you are a righteous woman and you want to gather righteous women around you, it is not going to happen if you are not readily available to the hearts and minds of women around you”.

A very true statement. It won’t just happen automatically.

And so, I pray that God would help me to be available, to have wisdom in prioritizing and organizing my daily schedules, to His glory, and not neglecting the ones he has entrusted to my care, but granting me eyes to see who needs a word of comfort, a shoulder to cry on, a word of advice, or maybe just a smile, so that I can be approachable to those who need my friendship and love.

We, as Christians, are part of the body of Christ. He is the vine, we are the branches, and we need to stay connected not only with Christ, but with each other.

John 15:5 KJV - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 

Connecting. Sharing. Learning. Exhorting. Comforting. Loving.

 

Proverbs 18:24 KJV - A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.