Sisters in Spirit is a series of essays by a group of women who felt a spiritual perspective lacking from the steady stream of daily news. They each agreed to carve space monthly on their blogs for a spiritual conversation. The topic this month is how to stay focused on God among life’s distractions.
I could write an encyclopedia on “life’s distractions.” In the last three months, I have: moved twice, driving some 7000 miles with little more than my dog, a couple suitcases and a heart full of hope, fallen madly in love, and started a new job – one I dreamed of for more than a decade.
I’m busy-busy. Our current to-do lists include life milestones that require every bit of energy we can muster. And yet we know that if we don’t involve God in all of this busyness, we will sail off course.
We will not meet our agreement with God as Christians if we allow busyness to consume faithfulness.
This means making time to pray. To read the Bible. To get up and get to church when you’d really rather just pull the covers over your head for the coveted and rare day of sleeping in. To willingly and joyfully tithe. Tithing doesn’t have to be complicated, thanks to giving platforms like Tithe.ly allowing you to give digitally and conveniently.
Practically, this means I eat lunch alone at my new job a couple days a week. I try to find a quiet spot at the cafeteria, or outside if I can burden the heat. I sit in the silence, feeling both unworthy and incredibly grateful for this time. Afterward, I have a sense of peace and often a newfound perspective on whatever issues of the day I’m mulling.
Jesus never said, “Be busy.” He did tell us to love God, and to love each other. With stacks of files on my desk and boxes to pack and unpack at home, I try to remember this.
I hope you continue this conversation by reading and commenting other perspectives on Christianity with my other Sisters in Spirit. Become part of the conversation:
Sarah is municipal attorney, mom to a toddler boy, and United Methodist’s pastor’s wife. (She does not play the organ.) She is a life-long Missouri girl with a heart for hospitality and social justice. Sarah enjoys cooking, running, knitting and embroidery, reading, and playing in the sprinkler. Sarah blogs at www.beautyschooldropout.net
Bianca is a Navy wife from the great state of Texas (where she coincidentally currently resides), and she and her husband welcomed their first child in the fall of 2012. She has a passion for serving others, asking hard questions and sharing The Gospel with both her words and actions. Bianca loves Jesus, her hubs & her son, authentic friendships, traveling, making lists of all kinds, and trying new recipes which she blogs about on BecomingBianca.com