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"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2  It's a verse I've shared with my kids many times—hoping to raise them on a foundation of Biblical truth so they won't easily be led astray. To stay on the narrow path and not be swayed by all the shiny things the world offers. To see through the lies that tell them their worth is tied to their appearance or achievements. To remain pure in heart and steadfast in faith.
I've memorised this verse for myself, too, and have recalled it countless times when I've been tempted by comparison, or envy, or FOMO. I've spoken it aloud when negativity and discontentment threatened to consume me. When the enemy's whispers told me I wasn't enough. I know it by heart and could recite it in my sleep. And yet, sometimes, knowing something doesn’t mean truly knowing it. This verse came to mind as I was planning out my week. I looked at my schedule and felt the claws of anxiety tightening their grip. Suddenly, conviction hit me like a ton of bricks. I'd forgotten--or perhaps hadn't ever acknowledged, that busyness is also a pattern of this world. Wait, what? How could busyness be a pattern of the world when it’s just… life? Everybody’s busy. Ask anyone how they’re doing, and chances are, they’ll say, "Busy." But here’s the thing—just because something seems normal doesn’t mean it’s the right way. We live in a culture where busyness is worn like a badge of honour. We pack our days with work, family, side hustles, church, volunteering—good things, meaningful things. But when busyness becomes our default, when it consumes us and leaves no room for what truly matters, we’ve stepped out of alignment with how we were meant to live. Lysa TerKeurst puts it perfectly: "A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul." I’ve felt that ache. The heaviness of an overflowing schedule that drowns out what my soul longs for most. I yearn to choose the 'better thing' (Luke 10:42), and yet how can I, when my schedule won't allow it? Jesus accomplished so much in His three years of ministry, but He never rushed. He wasn’t frantically moving from one task to the next. Even in the midst of healing, teaching, and leading, He prioritised rest. He stepped away from the crowds. He sought solitude with His Father. He knew that in order to fulfill His purpose, He had to make space for stillness. As Christians, we are called to live like Jesus—to be set apart. To be in the world, but not of it. Just because the world idolises busyness doesn’t mean we should. How can we follow Jesus if our schedules leave no room for Him? How can we bear good fruit if we’re too exhausted to stay connected to the vine? How will we know God’s will if we’re too distracted to listen? How can we hear His voice if we’re never still? These are the questions stirring in my heart as I pray through what it means to choose a different way. Ian Simkins sums it up beautifully: "You weren’t made to carry the weight of the world. You were made to walk with the One who already did." Maybe it’s time to loosen our grip on busyness, to no longer copy the behaviour of the world, and take hold of something far better—His presence, allowing Him to transform us so we can know and do His will. Blessings.
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