How do you feel about Christmas? There are so many things about it that I love: dwelling on the incarnation and God with us, celebrating with family and friends, beautiful, twinkling lights, Christmas stories and songs (and I do love some happy Christmas films…)
But there’s one thing that can often get me, and it has hit me a bit unawares this year: the busyness, and worrying about getting it all done! I’m sure I’m not as busy as some people, but I have a To Do list worry radar, I think, and I’m good at feeling overwhelmed.
I’m an introvert who recharges by time alone, and I can struggle a bit when I get too busy, without space to process. I also often find myself trying to over-perform, aiming to get everything done above and beyond! And I can get pretty anxious about it all, especially if I’m tired because I’m not getting enough mental space to rest, and not sleeping well because I’m worrying about not getting it all done!
I had a couple of too-busy crashes recently- with a lot to do in the office, Christmas cards to write, lots of little extra things to fit into spare moments or almost-spare moments… and then my bookcase collapsed and I had books everywhere and needed to find and build a new bookcase… and I got a bit overwhelmed by it all!
But the Lord has been encouraging me and helping me, and here are some thoughts about handling seasons of busyness (including December!). I hope they are an encouragement for you, too!
- The Lord showed me (when I lay awake worrying early one morning) that, whether I worry or not, I will still work hard and do as much as I can…but, if I worry, I’ll add stress and pressure to myself, possibly lose sleep and be in a worse position to handle the work. In contrast, if I try to stay calm, I will get the same amount (or more!) done but be peaceful, healthier and happier.
- If I am worried about something, I can commit my fears to the Lord, pray about it and then think about something happy and positive, instead of filling my mind with anxiety!!
- Do I actually really need to do everything I think I do by the time I think I need to do it? Is there anything I can actually renegotiate? Some of the ‘deadlines’ are actually probably just me over-trying! I realised that there are things I have really been wanting to get done ‘by the end of the year’… but actually God may not be putting that pressure on me, and those ‘deadlines’ could actually probably be renegotiated!
- Can I think of some possible solutions or contingency plans? For example, if I really don’t get something done, are there any possible solutions? For example, finding extra hours or asking for help? And I bet that God will have a solution planned if I need one!
- Whether I get it all done or not, my identity is secure in Christ and He delights in me (you can find out how that can be true of you here), so ultimately all is secure.
- The reality is that I probably will get all of the important things done anyway! And it’s ok if the less important ones wait a bit.
- Sure, He is asking me to show up and be faithful during the times He is asking me to serve. But He isn’t asking me to fret about it, panic about it, wear myself out worrying and forget Him in the pressure. He isn’t asking me to carry that burden. He is just asking me to pray, lean on Him, do my best and trust Him to help me. And He will be faithful to help.
- It can feel so busy that there isn’t time to fit in the extra things I actually need: time to breathe mentally, time to connect and pray with a friend, time to go for a walk in nature, time to process through writing. But maybe, instead of trying to fit in something that feels too big, what about doing what I can? Like chatting and praying intentionally with a friend for 5 minutes after church, or calling a friend for just a few minutes. Or taking a break and going for 5-10 minute walk to clear my head. Or writing a tiny blog post to process how to handle busyness better! Are there some bitesize things that could work for you?
- And, above all, remembering that Christmas is about God with us, including in the mess and the busyness. With me now. God is with me right now, in this season, and I don’t want to lose the joy of that by stressing unnecessarily about something He is going to take care of.
I bet that God’s way of handling busyness well involves calm prayer, dependence on Him, not panicking and trusting He will help and provide for those who belong to Him (and that can be you!). And I think He wants me to grow in being more like that!
I hope those thoughts can be encouragement to you, too, if you find yourself getting overwhelmed by busyness! 🙂
Happy Christmas! 🙂
Caroline Abblitt 