My New Year's Resolution: Do Less!

I woke up with a pit in my stomach again. Later, this would inspire me to write these lyrics, “Rescue my restless heart! These lies are tearing me apart, and I know I can’t go on like this.”

In the middle of it, I couldn’t figure out what was going on. As I searched for the cause of my anxiety, it became clear - I was trying to do too much!

Something needed to change.

Socrates (speaking of Cliches) famously said, “A life unexamined is not worth living.”

And that’s what I tried to do. I resolved to stop what I was doing and question my hectic life and the culture that promoted it.

How did things get like this? Why are we all so busy?

In some cases, it’s accidental. We just keep saying “yes” to things, and before long, we are drowning.Others have bought into our culture’s elevation of busyness as a status symbol - which is weird. For most of history, success and leisure time were directly linked: the more prosperous someone was, the more time they had to do nothing.

Now, the opposite is true. As Georgetown researcher Silvia Bellezza points out, “A busy and overworked lifestyle, rather than a leisurely lifestyle, has become an aspirational status symbol.”

She argues that being busy projects competence and the aura of being “in demand.”

Back to the pit in my stomach, it was clear I had adopted the modern notion that doing a lot gave me value.

Recording a podcast, writing a blog post, creating a song, and going on tour - these were the things that gave me a sense of worth.

I’ve always been ambitious, and that isn’t necessarily bad, but as the famous YouTuber Casey Neistat recently said, “the monster of ambition is only fed in the doing.”

If I were to be honest, my daily tasks felt more like a treadmill than a path - it was as if I were constantly moving but never getting anywhere.

In my quest to find peace, I felt like God led me to three crucial truths that have (slowly) helped me get my busyness under control. I hope you will also find a remedy for your restless heart through them.

1) First Things First

Getting the foundation right is the first step to putting ambition in its proper place. God desires for us to dream big and put our time and talents to good use, but being a Christian has never been about what we do.

The only thing that satiates the deepest longings of our hearts is a personal, intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

The tasks we accomplish cannot add or take away from our worth - that is already safe. For this reason, nothing can take priority over time spent with God. The secret to overcoming the monster of ambition lies in putting first things first.

2) You Can’t Do It!

John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”

This is bad news for anyone wanting to take credit for the work they do and incredibly liberating for a follower of Jesus desiring freedom from a weight they were never asked to carry.

The antidote to an identity built on busyness is reminding ourselves daily that we can do nothing apart from God!

3) Just Say “No.”

My pastor said something recently that deeply challenged me. He was talking about the many adverse effects of individualism on our spiritual lives, one of which is busyness.

He challenged us that we say “yes” far too often and have fallen into the pattern of filling every moment of every day with activity. "When was the last time you said no," he asked, "and not so that you could just fill that gap with something else?"

What if we had time in our schedule with absolutely nothing planned? I was struck by how simple his advice was and how rare it was for me to follow through on it.

Just say no (to busyness and drugs). Leave space to think, rest, reflect, and be still.

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Back to the lyrics my anxiety inspired, it ends with the words, “Why do I keep on running? These lies keep on coming.”

We can’t ignore the problem of busyness in our lives. No one is immune. But there is hope. God has a design for your life that is both fruitful and filled with peace. These are not mutually exclusive.

Perhaps King David saw it clearly when he wrote, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). If we can grasp this, there will be rest for our hearts and the proper perspective to accomplish great things, knowing that God supplies the power and we are simply along for the ride.‍
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