A Time to Pause calls us to examine our busy schedules. Do we need to pause and place Jesus into our lives? What’s stopping us?
Too Busy
When was the last time you stopped being busy? Between work, family, appointments, entertainment, and endless notifications, our schedules fill up quickly. Even when we finally sit down to relax, our minds often keep racing. But is being busy necessarily a bad thing? In our final Bible study in the A Time for Everything stewardship series, we discovered that busyness itself isn’t the problem. The problem begins when our busyness crowds out God.
Remember The Sabbath
In the Old Testament, God established the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship. Leviticus 23:3 describes it as a day of sacred assembly. Jesus explained its purpose: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). The Sabbath wasn’t intended to burden God’s people with another obligation. It was a gift through which they could receive his blessings. That changes how we think about worship. Instead of saying, “I have to go to church,” we can joyfully recognize, “God has set aside this time to give me something!”
Rest in Jesus
We also considered the Israelites gathering manna in Exodus 16. Some refused to rest because they didn’t trust God’s promise to provide. How often do we behave similarly, believing that everything depends upon our constant activity? Physical relaxation and spiritual rest are not the same thing. A nap, vacation, or evening watching television might refresh our bodies, but only God can provide lasting rest for our souls. Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Christian stewardship isn’t simply about accomplishing more. It’s about receiving God’s gifts and faithfully using them. The busier life becomes, the more we need time with Jesus. His forgiveness, promises, and grace give us peace even when our schedules remain full.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s study from our series, A Time to Pause.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.