BUSY or AVAILABLE…what are YOU?

Today is another milestone: 42 years of life on this earth! It has had me thinking what one word would define me? The word BUSY is perhaps the adjective that best describes the average person these days. I would much rather have someone say I’m kind, peaceful or hard-working, but NOT just “busy.” Go, go, go, do, do, do…. what happened to getting off that treadmill after our global pandemic? How quickly we forget to SLOW DOWN and stop just being “busy!”

Now, I want to tell you a true tale of this word BUSY being used by someone in my life in an offensive way. When we use the word “busy” to decline an invitation it carries a certain message with it: I AM BUSY, but YOU must not be busy (or as busy)! Most of us have done it, perhaps more often than we realize!

So, my story begins roughly a year ago. I had invited a family over to our house for dinner several times but with no success on choosing a date. The last straw effort was via text, and the response was, “We’re too busy,” and then a list of a few reasons (or excuses)! Granted I was trying to be super flexible and find a date/time even a month or two away, but this particular family wasn’t going for it. BUSY. It hurt a bit, because if I compared our lives at the time I may have won the “Busy Badge!” They had one child while I was trying to balance four, and my list of “to-dos” was much longer than what they listed. Thankfully, I will tell you the pity party for feeling a bit unappreciated ended quickly! In that same week a friend of mine had a stroke and I knew she needed help. My first thought (though I “humbly” and self-consciously didn’t say it), was, “I AM TOO BUSY, couldn’t you have had this stroke next week instead so I wouldn’t have to struggle to serve you?” What an ugly thought, but there it was. I TOO was TOO BUSY in my own heart.

Jesus helped me in that moment to put aside the disappointment I felt from this other family and focus on my own spiritual condition: My selfishness, my people-pleasing tendencies, my outward longing for approval, my dryness and my desperation for God’s strength and power to accomplish anything good!

Since that time I have told this story to a few of my close friends. I pray as short and simple as it is that it would inspire YOU today to look back in the mirror when you are hurt. Many times what most offends you is YOUR OWN weakness as well! Said another way: what bothers us about others can be what we ourselves are like! Ponder that for a minute.

As I sit here on my porch, I want to share a short prayer I wrote out to God this morning:

Jesus,

I dedicate this new year of my life to YOU. You are My Shepherd, my caretaker, the lover and guide of my soul. Use me to be Your hands, feet and heart to others. Remove fear, anxiety, and feelings of worthlessness. Raise me up to follow You more closely, to be holding Your hand in the adventure and journey of each new day. Realize dreams in my life that I thought impossible or long forgotten. Keep guilt and busyness away and allow Your peace and eternal purposes to reign in my daily life.

Love, Krystal Hope

Today at 42 years of age I pray that God would continue breaking off the rough edges in me, softening me, and making my resemblance to Him noteworthy. I don’t want to be BUSY; I want to be AVAILABLE. Are YOU?  

Leave a comment to let me know you were here as a birthday gift to me! The song below has been ministering to me and I hope it speaks to you as well. Each new day is a gift and YOU are HIS miracle, dear ones!