Doing Less

“A soldier on active duty wants to please his commanding officer and so does not get mixed up in the affairs of civilian life.” (2 Timothy 2:4 GNB)

When I was pregnant, I gained weight so fast that it prompted my obstetrician to ask me what I had been eating. I assured him that I had been eating only healthy food. He suggested I eat less of it! 

My days are filled with the hustle and bustle of interesting activities, productive projects, and opportunities to serve.  I enjoy feeling useful, so I rarely refuse to participate in good causes. Once I commit to something, especially if it involves others, I make space for it. This means that many other things that are important to me get squished into smaller, inconvenient slots. 

Open-ended time with God is a luxury that I prize. A full day--where I can be still, listen, follow the guidance of the Spirit, write, and pray--is a rare commodity. My desire to feel useful and productive leads me into energy-consuming entanglements. Distractions further drain my time. I forget that I am an active soldier. I have been commissioned to serve Christ. I need to be careful not to get mixed up in the affairs of civilian life. I am already committed to a job far more significant. I have to remain dedicated, undistracted, and steadfast.