“How are you, friend?” “How’s life going?” “How’s your family?” “How’s work?”  “How was your weekend?”  “How’s church?” “How’s your spiritual life?” The unfortunate answer that I hear time and time again in response to any inquiry into someone’s life is – “It’s just crazy busy.”

As Americans, we have bought into the lie sold to us by the West that the only way to find value in yourself as a person is to be BUSY.  Somewhere along the way, this has entered into the heart of every person – that if we are not busy, we are in sin.  So our identity has become rooted in telling people we are busy.  Because in our minds, busy-ness = importance.  If I have a lot going on, then that means I am needed, valuable, significant, hard-working, and so on.

The unfortunate reality is that sometimes this is absolutely true.  I talk to high school students on a weekly basis who reveal that the load of school, athletics, and extracurriculars are more time-consuming than ever before.  And the unfortunate consequence is that our schedule becomes Lord rather than King Jesus.  So I absolutely recognize that reality.  And on the other hand, I also realize that because everyone is ‘crazy busy’ all the time, it becomes an excuse (whether it is true or not).  We don’t have time to pray.  We don’t have time to read the Bible.  We don’t have time to make disciples.  We don’t have time for church.

And that is a dangerous place to be.  Perhaps one of the most important verses for our culture today is Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Jesus has just finished talking about how it is the lost people of the world who are worried about the various details of life so much that they are consumed by them. But as Christians, we are called to prioritize the things of God.

For some of you right now, maybe God is calling you to give up some things so that the Kingdom can have priority in your life.  Maybe you cannot do that but God is calling you to be more strategic in how you use your time.  Maybe that means homework on Saturday so that you have time during the week to faithfully follow Jesus. Maybe that means waking up earlier or staying up later so that you have time to pray or read or disciple or get to church. But it definitely means showing more dedication to the Kingdom of Christ than our own little kingdoms of self that we are so prone to go after.

When I was in seminary, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a campus minister to medical and dental students at the University of Louisville.  And our ministry had two weekly rhythms – a bible study one night each week, and a lunch/lecture each week.  And let me just tell you – there’s no one on the planet busier than a medical student.  But I met some of the most godly people I have been privileged to encounter.  And in the midst of their 8 hours worth of homework each day, they prioritized not only our 2 weekly ministry rhythms, but they remained faithful members of their churches too – participating in weekly worship and community groups there! It was hard.  Most medical and dental students didn’t prioritize their lives that way and it seemed impossible.  But with God all things are possible.

So take a look at your crazy busy schedule this week, dear Christian.  And pray for Jesus to make clear what must stay, what may need to go, and what needs to be restructured & re-prioitized so that you can seek first HIS Kingdom. You’ll be amazed to find that it may not be easier – it may in fact make life more difficult – but that even in difficulty you’ll have more intimacy with Jesus as you are forced to be more dependent on Him.  His grace is sufficient even in those times.

Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, and Jesus should be Lord over all of them.