Back-to-School, Back-to-Busy: Where Is God in the Chaos?
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As a former teacher, one thing I don’t miss about teaching is the madness of back-to-school. Though we’ve finally reached September, I know from a professional standpoint that things are just getting started. As a student, teacher, parent, or college student, this time of year isn’t just busy; it’s downright stressful. It takes until December to get used to the routine, but then after Christmas break, it takes another four months to get into the groove yet again, just in time to leave for the summer and repeat the cycle all over again. Talk about an exhausting ebb and flow of scheduling! But what if things didn’t have to always be this way?
It’s been said that “busyness” is a choice, and in many ways I agree. We’re often as busy as we schedule ourselves to be. However, many things in life aren’t just unpredictable, but they’re chaotic by design. Going to school and work day after day takes some getting used to. Playing a sport in high school and college comes with long days and longer nights. Packing lunches, doing chores, and fitting into appointments feels like too much to handle. Can I get an “Amen”?
Despite all that’s going on around us, here’s the good news: It’s possible to prioritize what really matters, even in the busyness. Here are four things I recommend:
1. Prioritize Your Quiet Time with God
It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Prioritize time with God. But I’m serious. If you don’t, it’ll be the first thing to go when it should be the last. We think God can wait. And He can. The problem is we can’t. We need Him every single day. For every breath, decision, and step we take. He’s the oxygen to our lungs.
What if I don’t have time? I get that feeling. Trust me. Working around the clock and taking care of a family and dog, plus chores and errands, can squeeze out any energy we have left. But I want to challenge you: Even 10 minutes of prayer, journaling, or Scripture in the morning or evening can re-center your soul and give you strength for your day. You can even break it into 5-minute segments in the morning or evening, if that’s better for you.
Like kids prepping their backpacks every morning for school, communicating with God before our day begins is like putting on our spiritual backpack. Without it, we won’t be prepared to handle the day. With it, we will always have everything we need and more.