Not Living, Just Busy…

Typing with paint under my fingernails after an evening of dabbling in acrylics and canvases. It’s the colors I love the most… and the mechanics of technique, brush types, and palette knives. I go through seasons of not touching art at all, only to be wooed back into it in the end.

Mostly because lemon yellow is like painting with sunshine…

Here at the gate of 2022, there are so many things to “keep us busy.” Family and work life… kids going back to school… and now we’re on to spring preparations and thoughts of summer.

And maybe we should think about putting away our Christmas decorations… it’s January 10th, after all. Just me?

Unfortunately, we have a tendency to remain perpetually buried by life. I used to say that I always felt “run over” by my life. It’s easy to get there! Maybe not so easy to dig ourselves out, however.

So many of us “live” under layers of “life burdens,” instead of really living. We’re suffocating under the weight of requirements, many of which we have placed upon ourselves.

Think with me for a minute…

What if we didn’t put out ALL of the Christmas decorations this year… and what if we didn’t have them all put away by January 1st? Are we then “failures” or “cutting corners,” or are we giving ourselves a break so we can actually enjoy the Christmas season? What grace and freedom would we give to any one of our friends who came to us stressed and pressured looking for help? Why can’t we give that same grace to ourselves?

What if we didn’t have an appointment, or a meeting, or an activity every single night of most weeks in any given season? Would our kids suffer more or less by being at home more, having more down time with the family, or having the opportunity to “get bored”? Not every little boy was made to play sports, and there is no rule that says every little girl must be in dance. Is there anything wrong with sports or dance? Absolutely not! They are two of many activities that are great for bringing up strong, stable, well-rounded children. I’m just saying it’s okay to cut yourself some slack and take a season (or two) off for your own sanity, and the peace of your family.

• Sidebar: Kids are resilient. They’ll learn to be creative if they have enough time to be bored (without screens). The challenging part for us parents is disciplining them through these “bored” times so they’ll channel their energies into positive outlets instead of negative ones.
• With three teens in the house, you can imagine the years and the tears that went into raising these babies into healthy, functioning near-adults without killing them, or them killing us. Parenting isn’t pretty sometimes, but it’s worth the agony if you’re willing to fight through the hard times without giving up. You’ll reap the benefits in the end.

All that to say, we are worth more than the busy lives we lead. We are much more than pack animals! We were not made to carry burdens (1 Peter 5:7). There is more joy to be had in life than we have known, but it’s not too late to make a change. Let 2022 be your year to slow down and let the light in!

Here are some questions I am asking myself this year…

Do I want to simply be busy, or do I want to live with purpose? Am I seeking perfection, or position, or the approval of people… or am I humbly pursuing God’s best for my life?

Do I have peace and joy on the inside, and am I living in the fruit and energy of the Holy Spirit, or am I just busy, stressed, anxious, worried, discouraged, and exhausted?

We were not made to carry burdens. We were not made to carry burdens. Yes, I meant to say that twice… (1 Peter 5:7).

So how do we discover the life we were meant to live? Honestly… and this may not be what you thought I was going to say… it’s not about finding your passion, or taking up a new hobby, or even exercising your God-given gifts and talents. Yes, these may be the fruit of living a full and abundant life, but they are not the root.

The only thing that exists at the very root of a life full of real peace, abundant joy, and God-given purpose… is Jesus. The real Jesus of the Bible. When true and honest relationship with Him is the root and foundation of our lives, it changes everything.

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:7-9

Spend time with Him. Learn to trust Him. Start your day with God’s Word. Keep a prayer journal. Open yourself up to Him and begin to take an honest look at your life through His eyes. Be willing to humble yourself and be molded by Him. It will truly change your life.

Let me wrap this up…

I’m enjoying getting back into painting in this season. It’s not always easy… sometimes it can be downright complicated and frustrating… but I love it so much! My heart swells with joy when a piece finally comes together in a way that is beautiful to me, between me and God alone. But my desire to paint didn’t come because I was trying to find a new hobby, or looking for my passion in life. Painting was a gift the Lord gave to bring “peace in the storm” after I turned to Him during a painful season of life.

It wasn’t painting that saved my life. It was trusting in the Lord. He saved me, He healed my heart, and He is still continuing to bring me together from the inside out. Painting was simply one of the things He gave me that brings so much joy to my life… and the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Praying we trust Him more. Praying we seek Him at the heart and root of our lives, and that our lives are built on Him. Thanking God so much for His perfect, loving ways. In Jesus’ name.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!”

Psalm 91:1-2 AMP