Multi-tasking Mayhem

“But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.” Psalm 31:14-15 (NLT)

“Mom, quick…look at that lady!” My fourteen-year-old son shouted as we were headed down the interstate on an errand-running Thursday afternoon. “She should not be doing that,” he added for emphasis.

I glanced over at the car next to us, expecting to see someone without her hands at the ten and two o’clock positions like my by-the-rulebook-boy does when training behind the wheel. Instead, I nearly ran off the road while gawking at what my Driver’s Ed patrolman had spotted.

Next to us was a woman cradling her cell phone on her right shoulder; holding an open fast-food salad container in her left hand; ripping open a salad dressing packet with her teeth and her right hand…all while steering her car with her knees!

What in the world!? My boys and I thought surely, if she kept up this multi-tasking method of driving, she was going to cause a crash.

“I would NEVER attempt to do all of that when I drive,” I smugly thought to myself. “Entirely too dangerous and probably against the law.” Yep, when it comes to being a safe-driving expert, the apple doesn’t fall far from the “Honey-you-didn’t-use-your-blinker-back-there” maternal tree.

It wasn’t until later that night it hit me. Yes, I may not dangerously multi-task when driving, thereby risking collision. But in my day-to-day life? In my schedule? In my “sure-I-can-take-on-one-more-responsibility-so-everyone-will-like-me” way? I sometimes dangerously multi-task to the point I am headed for a crash.

Taking on too many responsibilities, no matter how “good” they may be, can often render us ineffective for service to God. Yet, He knows our limits. He understands are capacities. He is willing, if we will ask Him, to help us navigate the busyness and activity that often trips us up.

On one of my so-busy-I-couldn’t-breathe days, I read today’s key verse. While I’m sure the author David was talking about actual physical enemies — men who could chase, catch and ultimately hurt you — I realized that day my enemy was busyness. Too many activities and responsibilities outside my four walls were about to do me in. They chased me, cornered me and worst of all, were about to go in for the kill.

Thankfully, God can rescue us from the barren life of busyness. He invites us to hold our too-full plates up to Him, allowing Him to scrape off all the activities and responsibilities. Then, place back on our plates only the items HE longs for us to possess.

When this happens, we can create space in our calendar to retreat, places of sweet respite in our days where we connect with God. Times when we slow down and sit still to listen and learn from the Creator of time itself.

So, how about it friend? Let’s both start scraping before we crash and burn!

Dear Lord, forgive me for allowing busyness to overtake my life, crowding out others and worst of all You. Help me as I purpose to place only those items on my plate that You long for me to have. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

424 Comments

  1. I am definitely guilty of multi-tasking (not while I’m driving though, lol). I felt completely exhausted with the daily agenda on the calendar that I had to do something. So….I made white space on the calendar by not getting me and the kids involved in so much and just staying home and appreciating each other and the moments with the Lord. Thanks for your insight. Have a blessed day!

  2. I’m in. This is something I have been working on because I just recently started doing other things while I am talking on the phone and discovered that I am not very good at it. I wind up not doing either thing well!

  3. I am definitely in, spent this morning in prayer, still trying to recenter after a hectic week. I am doing some plate scraping now. Mainly, I see that I procrastinate since I am so exhausted from work and home responsibilities that I use the time and energy that I should be spending on those extra projects to worry about the fact that I haven’t done anything and it’s getting embarrassingly late to submit anything on them. Praying about what not to put back on the plate. But every-time I do this, I get a different answer…

  4. Multitasking can be a blessing and a curse! I am guilty of not getting my priorities straight and trying to please more than doing what is right for me and my family.

  5. So true. Our church is doing a series called Margin. All the real living we do happens in the Margin – the extra time. It has really struck me how much we can miss out on in our business. Our pastor used #3 to communicate how being busy can have a negative impact on our livelihood. We have been snowed in for the past three days – and I have enjoyed it beyong belief!!!!!! I have not given so much praise to God in a long time. I am truly enjoying being forced to slow down. I just pray I can maintain it once the weather clears. :)
    This is a very powerful blog topic. I pray it will impact many!!!!

  6. “if Satan can’t make you bad he’ll make you busy”
    Wow this hit me like a ton of bricks. Thank you so much for your words today. God really needed to speak this truth into my life. I too am one who finds it hard to say no. I realized today it’s out of my desire to be liked and please people. I’ve tried to fool myself into thinking it was to please God but my life right now has little time for Him, which isn’t pleasing or right!
    Thank you for letting God speak through you and making me realize I need to find a way to let Him take the things that are just busyness and leave me room for really seeking Him and His will.

  7. Beware of the barrenness of a busy life…only 8 words but such a huge message…Thanks for the warning…& the timely reminder…I will beware…more! I sure need this.
    This is an awesome site…I rarely get online…just too busy so I avoid it alltogether but I have really enjoyed this!
    Many Blessings to you Karen for what you do for women & I will be sharing this with my daughter who is a homeschool mom with 5 children ages 4 to 9 who call me “Mimi” (includes 4 year old twin girls)

  8. Number 3 really jumped out at me. I struggle with this so much!! I am 30 years old and have 4 children…. a 4 month old, 2 year old, 4 year old, and an 11 year old who I’ve started homeschooling for the first time this year. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in June and my mom has been disabled for several years now. I try to help out at church or with other people when I can, and often feel like I’m letting them or God down when I can’t “do it all”. I feel so overwhelmed most of the time, which leads to feelings of depression and irritability. I know those are not God’s thoughts….that is how Satan gets me!! One of my new year’s resolutions was to slow down and enjoy life (my kids and husband included) more. I keep feeling like everything would fall into place IF ONLY I could get my life organized, but I never seem to get to that point. I’m not a naturally organized person, and really struggle in this area. I pray this year will be the year all that changes!!

  9. I really struggle with this as a mother of two, working a full time job and trying to keep up with my home. My husband is injured and can’t do much, and is therefore not working. I can barely stay afloat! Thanks for the message; I needed to hear it.

  10. I’m in. I have taken on too many church and work related activities. Finally my husband had to have a heart to heart discussion and inform me that I could not be everything to every person in our lives and to prioritize my life. Wise choice.

  11. “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.” Whoa. That one stopped me in my tracks. That’s exactly what’s been going on in my life lately. Thank you for the reminder and the wonderful visual of the need for “plate scraping” in my life – and to let God be the one to decide what gets puts back on the plate. What a wonderful blessing to see God’s timing in this lesson! Thank you : )

  12. Please enter me in the drawing. God recently increased my family size to 3 children. Now I have 2 tween girls. I’m going nuts. Transitions are especially hard and busyness has taken over. Very interested to have found your blog today. Thanks.

  13. I’m in… was too busy to get the email yesterday (does that say it all??) Alot has been taken off my plate but I do get caught up in the busyness! Thanks for your encouraging words!

  14. I feel like this post was a confirmation of what I’ve felt for some time! I slowly scraped over the last year and a half and still feel there is more to remove. Not only is it committments in my case but also clutter. I feel driven to get organized in both my space and mind. Funny how the two are related and one occupies physical space while the other is spiritual space I want to leave available work for God and allow him to work within me! I’m in and think the book will be of immense help. I need all I can gather :) God bless your efforts!

  15. Thank you! I was trying to figure out how to clean my home (picture my old refrigerator in the dining room, new refrigerator in the kitchen almost fitting into its destination but still awaiting my husband to cut down the cabinet overhead…LOL!), drive my daughter to tennis (25 minutes away in the snow), clean again (this house is wreck…can’t believe all that was on the fridge!, try to take said daughter to a birthday party this evening (30 minutes away…did I mention the snow?), have an outing with my friends from church, help my husband proofread an essay, and clean…all for today. I love life but definitely need to prioritize…help! :)

  16. Count me in! And thank you for this! I struggle with perfectionism and with the mentality that I need to do many things well in order to be accepted and loved, by God and by others. I used to over-commit and then burn out, leaving people in the lurch. Then, I went the opposite direction and stopped doing anything. I know there is a middle ground. I just need to find it! God has been hammering me over the head with the need for godly discipline. One thing He is helping me with is finishing what I start. I have a terrible habit of trying to do too many home projects at once, getting overwhelmed, and then stopping altogether. As I said, I know there is a middle ground, and I am working with God to find it, one step at a time. Thank you for the encouragement! It is so good to know I am not alone in my struggles.

  17. Thank you for that encouraging post from Proverbs 31! As a lady who takes on too much and then disappoints herself by not being able to do all of the tasks, I needed that reminder of busyness!

  18. I am constantly working on finding this balance…between healthy multitasking and unhealthy business. I know there is plenty of time for me to do all that matters, and it’s just about me clearing out the clutter, both physical and mental, in order to all me to set the right priorities. I’m in!

  19. Thank you Karen for your timely words. I’m not necessarily on overload yet…but oddly enough…I think that’s what I’m hoping for, crazy as that sounds. NOW, however, I am stopping and laughing at myself. We just moved and everything and everyone in my life is new…so my plate is rather empty…outside of trying to organize a new house and get a new routine for the family in place. But I’ve been trying to begin getting involved with other ladies through church, school and community events, etc…and have been hoping for more and more to do. After reading today’s devotion though…my mind has had to stop and take check to see…the white space created by the move is a blessing in disguise from God and I need to watch and make sure I don’t fill things up too fast or too much. Thank you for the reminder to keep first what, and Who, I need to and to protect the white space that is currently in my life! What a blessing! I’m definitely in!!! Enjoy your day! – DeAnna

  20. Thanks for sharing, Karen! While I am not yet a mother, I am a school teacher and often find that my intense multi-tasking at work carries over to my home life. I sometimes forget that when I come home, I only have three responsibilities: my Father, my husband, and myself. I forget that even though those 150 little ones need my attention all day long, once the school day is over, I am free to relax and enjoy the man God has given me, and attend to his needs out of love and respect. Thank you for helping me continue to follow God’s word, that He gives us those things which we can handle, and doesn’t ask us to say YES to everything!

  21. What a great blog! I found this from the Proverbs 31 daily devotion. (I hope it’s not too late to enter, I am always a day late reading the devotions due to my quiet time time. :)) God was speaking out loud to me through this devotional and blog topic. I am a wife, mom, sister, daughter, employee, volunteer, and woman seeking God’s desire. I don’t want a lot on my plate (I have struggled for years with a stress-related medical condition also) although with many hats come many responsibilities. God is so good and His words are comforting to my heart. Along with my love for all things organizational, I love a good “bigger picture” reality check from my Lord and Savior. Thanks! -Shelby from Shreveport, LA

  22. I’m in, too. I was recently asked to help out on a board at church. I prayed about it and did not receive an answer–so I said yes. Then I felt God saying, No, that is not what I want you to do right now. I had to call the head of Women’s Ministry and tell her I could not help out. It was a hard call to make but I knew that was God’s desire for me. Mulit tasking is good as long as no one gets hurt…

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