{"id":169,"date":"2015-09-22T18:51:22","date_gmt":"2015-09-22T18:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplyfabulous\/?p=169"},"modified":"2015-09-22T18:51:22","modified_gmt":"2015-09-22T18:51:22","slug":"the-epidemic-of-busyness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplyfabulous\/2015\/09\/the-epidemic-of-busyness.html","title":{"rendered":"The Epidemic of Busyness"},"content":{"rendered":"

How many times have you said “I wish there were just a few more hours in the day”… “I need more days in the week!”… or “If only I could clone myself…”<\/p>\n

I know I’ve said<\/em> one of those things practically every other day. \u00a0Sometimes it DOES feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. \u00a0Forget 24\/7, sometimes it feels like I\u00a0need 26 hours in the day and 9 days in the week! \u00a0Or, if I could just have one me to do the work stuff, one me to take care of the health stuff, one me to get the personal stuff done and then an extra me to have fun… things would be perfect!<\/p>\n

I recently made a lot of changes in my life to focus on the things that are really important to me, like downsizing all of my belongings, moving into a mortgage-free tiny house, focusing on my health and making writing my full time career. \u00a0So at least the things that are keeping me busy now are things I actually\u00a0want<\/em> to be doing.<\/p>\n

But even so… the idea of being busy, busy, busy all the time has somehow become a positive thing in our world. \u00a0The busier you are, the better. \u00a0And if you’re not busy… you’re most likely going to get a few puzzled looks from people who wonder what exactly you’re doing with your time.<\/p>\n

Yet this is exactly the opposite of how God wants us to live.<\/p>\n

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.<\/em>” But when was the last time you were truly\u00a0still? \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

God didn’t intend for us to live a life of chaos, stress and anxiety. \u00a0He wants us to be still and let Him be in control. \u00a0He wants us to experience His peace. \u00a0“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. \u00a0I do not give to you as the world gives. \u00a0Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.<\/em>” \u00a0(John 14:27 NIV)<\/p>\n

But the devil would have us do otherwise.<\/p>\n

In the story of “The Devil’s Convention” by an unknown author, Satan tells his demons to go out and distract people from their relationship with God. \u00a0He instructs them to do this by:<\/p>\n