Finding Spirituality in Our Hectic Lives
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
As society gets more complex and demanding, it becomes harder to carve out time for God. There always seem to be more responsibilities than hours in a day. You try to get up early to pray, but the kids decide to get sick instead, and you run for a bucket and carpet cleaner. You sit down at your computer trying to read this devotion, and a text pops up, “Where are you? The meeting started at 7:30 AM.”
Our faith is central to our lives, yet it isn’t our only priority vital to a fulfilling life. Darn it all, we must care for our sick kids, and keeping our jobs is good for our long-term well-being. So, there are times in our lives when spirituality remains a priority, perhaps in shorter doses. In her article, “How to be Spiritual When Your Busy,” Jocelyn Joy Thomas knows our pain. While she doesn’t explicitly create recommendations created for the Christian community, some of her suggestions are useful. First, Thomas recommends we “Take a two-minute break.” She says, “No matter how busy you are, two minutes isn’t asking for a lot. Sit, take a breath, and center yourself. This will help you feel refreshed mentally and less frazzled. Try for five minutes if you can.” Even if you only have a few seconds, just evoking the name of our God is an act of prayer.
The other recommendation Thomas advocates is to “Listen to audiobooks or podcasts on spiritual topics.” Her proposal fits with my own experience. From getting ready in the morning to the drive to and from work, you have spare moments when you can listen. If you are looking for something spiritual to listen to, let me recommend two different authors who touched my life. One is the Roman Catholic monk Richard Rohr, who has written extensively on Spirituality and touched my heart and mind. The other is Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. Thich’s books on meditation and ethics inspire and challenge me. Any book by either author inspires and speaks to your heart and mind.
Today, give yourself a break. Life is busy, and God understands. Rather than ignore our spiritual responsibilities and feel a sense of guilt, we can find meaningful methods of reaching out to God in less time-consuming ways. Of course, we still need to honor the Sabbath whenever possible, but for the rest of your week, find ways to integrate God into your routine without burdening God. Weaving God into our crazy schedule is where God wants to meet us. God doesn’t desire our perfection; God wants to meet us in our needs and help us move forward with meaning.