Feeling Overwhelmed? Remember Busy Doesn’t Equal Important

What is the most common answer you hear when you ask, “How are you?”

Chances are it is, “Busy!”

And usually whoever you ask will follow up that one-word answer with a long recitation of all the work projects, Little League games, dance recitals, church activities, and volunteer responsibilities that fill up her week.

I know–because I’ve been there. Why did I fill up my schedule to overflowing?

Because somehow I believed this equation:

More activity + more tasks + more hustle and hurry = more importance.

But really that equation is only a lie. This is the true equation:

More activity + more tasks + more hustle and hurry = one overwhelmed woman.

And another equation that was also true in my life was:

Overwhelmed woman = anxiety + stress – peace – patience.

Packing more activity and tasks into my life often meant that I was checking off a lot of items from my to-do list, but I wasn’t being the wife I wanted to be. I wasn’t acting like the friend I wanted to be. My busyness made me feel more significant. But I probably made those closest to me feel less important.

Lately, I’ve been meditating on this verse from the Gospel of John:

I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do. (John 17:4)

Jesus said that.

And I notice two things in His statement: 

First, Jesus says, “I have brought You glory.” He wasn’t trying to make Himself look important. He was working to give His Father praise and honor.

Second, He doesn’t brag about all He was doing. Yes, Jesus accomplished a lot while He was on earth, but He didn’t take on any extra jobs. He simply did the work the Father gave Him.

It makes me realize that when I’m feeling overwhelmed, I need to ask myself: 

• Why am I doing this? Is it to bring glory to God? Or is to make me feel important?
• Who is telling me I should do this? Is God instructing me that this is part of the work He wants me to do? Or is it simply my own ego that is pushing me toward this activity?

We all need to remind ourselves that we are not important because of what we do. We are important because of who we are–daughters of the King!

We are not important because of what we do--but because of who we are--daughters of the King! Click To Tweet

Next step: Make a list of activities that are making you feel overwhelmed. For each one, ask the two questions: Why I am I doing this? Who is telling me to do this?

If you would like to learn more about avoiding distractions and living a focused life, check out my new book Distracted: Finding Faith-Focus Habits for a Frenzied World on Amazon.

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Inside you will find 16 Faith-Focus Habits that will help you:

• find focus by connecting to God 
• truly pay attention to what is essential
• prioritize your day
• find focus in your work
• make important choices
• defeat the distractions of technology
• find rest in our hectic world