Are you hearing voices? Okay—not that kind, but the kind of head-noise that makes you restless, anxious, or just stressed out? That constant barrage of thoughts that won’t let you rest? All right, let’s consider some ways to turn down the volume a bit.
Focus. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). When my thoughts are centered on God and his purposes, there isn’t a lot of room for dwelling on problems, worries, fears, or trivial matters. When I stay close to him throughout the day, and keep in regular communication with him, I feel peaceful. Isaiah said this about God: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). An inexplicable peace comes from simply remaining in God's presence. When I let my mind float, though, or become consumed with the distractions of life, stress levels rise; I become less attuned to the needs of others; and I drift into the emptiness of the daily grind. I forget that we’re here for love and relationship, not task completion!
Simplify. If you feel like you don't have enough time, you probably don't. In our quest to attain love, acceptance, affirmation, possessions, status, money, etc., we sometimes overflow our lives with activity. Rather than finding what we need in God and his provision, we look to a lot of other sources. As children, our eyes were often bigger than our stomachs; as adults, our schedules are often fuller than reality allows. God gives us enough time to accomplish and experience all he desires for us. Let’s trust that in knowing everything and loving us perfectly, his plan for our lives is better than any we could create. He’s gifted the same 24-hour day to each of us. How we choose to use it will make all the difference in the world.
I learned this in my twenties—I had to—because I chronically overspent my time. This negatively affected professional, academic, and personal relationships, sometimes significantly so. Slowly, God taught me to manage my time. “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap” (Ecclesiastes 11:4). Learn to do what needs to be done without waiting for the perfect time or conditions—end procrastination!
Prioritize. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Whatever God asks you to do—do it! Prioritize things of first importance and the must-do’s, and use leftover time for optional activities. For me, this meant sitting down with pen and paper and literally blocking out the activities in my life. After writing in the things I knew God wanted me to do, I realized I had far less optional time than I thought. This clarity allowed me to eliminate a lot of unnecessary time-stealers that were making it impossible to get the essentials done. The noise died down.
I still have to guard against bad habits creeping back into my life: the tendency toward distraction from God, the temptation to look for outward things to fill my needs, and the ease of saying yes to too many activities. When I remain in God’s presence and his will, though, things are still, and I like that.
