Default Mode

Last fall, I decided not to become too busy again. I was determined to balance my projects and commitments with margin for relaxing and restorative activities. Somehow, I maxed out my availability anyway. So, I hunkered down. I created a schedule, made my to do lists, and got to work. I think the end is in sight, but I’m honestly not sure since I’m not sure how it all started in the first place.

Some seasons are just busy, and it’s easy to get caught in the rush of it all and to only focus on being productive. Productivity and efficiency become necessary for survival. To a point, they’re solid approaches for success when you’re busy and often even when you’re not.

When I am especially busy and my default mode is productivity and efficiency, I sink into comfort zones – habits, processes, and mindsets – that allow me to move steadily through. Unfortunately, I tend to sink so deeply into these comfort zones that I forget to come out of them, and busyness becomes my routine. Margin to try anything new and to grow in any way then seems impossible.

Depth Deficit

Surviving a busy life through efficiency and productivity often means I don’t think about the depth of my life. My life gets so wide – filled with too much – that I’m just barely surviving.

In the past, I realized a depth deficit by crashing and burning mentally and physically to some degree. Some episodes were worse than others. Fortunately, I’ve learned to not let this lack go on for quite as long. The realization of a lack of depth only happens, though, when I listen to the still small voice of the Lord. It’s not something that I generate myself.

“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:11-12)

There’s so much to be gained by reading the story of Elijah (1 Kings 17-19; 2 Kings 1-2), and this experience with God on the mountain is a powerful part of that story. Elijah had been obedient to God, but he was physically and mentally exhausted, resulting in feeling completely defeated and overwhelmed. God spoke to Elijah through that defeat.

God’s spoken to me in my defeat and overwhelm, too. Many times. He’ll do the same for you.

Notice that Elijah heard God’s voice after he stood in God’s presence. After the winds and shattered rocks. After the earthquake. After the fire. Through all that tumult, Elijah was in God’s presence. After it is when he heard God’s voice.

Stillness

Even before his voice, though, is God’s presence. It’s always there, but we don’t always remember it’s there when we’re busy pushing through. When we’re too busy to dwell in God’s presence, the struggle becomes our focus, and it easily becomes overwhelming.

When we stand still, though, we can recognize God’s presence even as circumstances rage around us.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

The next time you enter your default mode of busyness and productivity and efficiency become your mainstay, be still and know that God is God.

The next time you lose depth and instead feel “feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread” (Bilbo Baggins, Lord of the Rings), be still and know that God is God.

Interested in learning about how balance and comfort zones connect with this idea of stillness? Check out the introduction to my book, Comfortably Uncomfortable.