When Doing Nothing is Harder Than Not

For nearly 67 trips around the sun, I’ve been a busy person, or so it seems. Are you like this?

We hurry up. Wait. Then, go. Now, wait. It’s a jackrabbit start of making it through the day, season, and year. We live like this on many fronts – relationships, career, even serving God!

I was behind someone a few days ago that would drift to a stop when the light turned red. They wanted to never stop, or that’s how I read their actions. I found out something that makes their action sensible. Too many new cars turn the engine off when you come to a complete stop, and instantly restart when you press Go! Saving gas. Ecology. Pollution. I’m not sure of all the reasons, but it’s irritating when the car hesitates that split second before the engine turns over and you can get into motion.

Must be difficult on the starter and other components in Stop and Go traffic.

I have a tough time sitting for extended periods of time. (Unless I’m driving, of course.) It’s difficult doing nothing, and that’s often harder than doing something. Anything! (Unless I’m blogging, of course.)

How about you? Do you find it difficult doing nothing for extended periods of time and feeling like you’re not productive? I want to see the results of time spent doing something, even when it feels like you’re doing nothing.

There Are Times

There are times when and where nothing can, nor should, be done. During those times, we all have floating tasks that should be considered. Have you ever reached a state where there’s nothing to do? Come work for me and organize my garage, clean the leaves from the gutter, mend some fences, walk the dogs… Catch my drift? I always have tasks on my plate! In fact, there are more things I need to do than I have years of time to accomplish them all!

A few weeks ago, just prior to vacation and holidays, I was invited to sit on a jury. It took a whole week! I did not have a week to spare, so other tasks were rescheduled – to next year! What do you do when serving on a jury? Hurry up! Wait…. Listen! Wait… Decide! Wait… We spent more time waiting for something to happen. When deliberating we could not have our smart phones, nor smart watches in the room! They want us to decide fast, right? It’s Friday. Let’s go home!

Here’s My Thought

These past 10 days have shown me that it’s good to step down from a busy schedule and rest awhile. It does not accomplish anything on my task list, but it does something good for body, soul, and spirit. Recharge the worn-out batteries. Let your mind drift awhile. Consider the sidelines and wonder all the why’s and what’s and how-comes!

Stress often takes our relaxing time and puts it out with the trash. There’s a church to continue to watch over from afar. Puppies that need our attention. Texts, emails, voicemail, and social postings are still a focus, but the countryside and trip beckon us to distraction.

How do I get my focus for the day? I unload my thoughts so I can pick them back up later. I did this yesterday. It revolved around some stressors we were faced with. Easily, we could be overwhelmed, or we could take some steps to de-stress. I made these notes during that time.

Off-loading #stress should never be about on-loading to another. That’s shifting and it will never fix the problem. Sharing the load helps! Just pick time, place, and person carefully, else you will destroy a relationship.

#Stress from multiple angles can overwhelm and make you feel useless, helpless, lost…partners help carry the load. Learn when you need help the most and find the right helper.

I’ve learned #stress does not need to be responded to immediately. Step back, calm down, deep breath, close off sensory input, think about nothing, and then explore your options. From a saner place than a few minutes ago. Makes a #ton of difference.

Jesus

Jesus. In the garden of Gethsemane. Praying in a usual place, but in front of his day of passion. Could you not pray with me just one hour? Sleep on. My time is at hand. The crowd gets closer. It’s night. The disciples flee. He’s by himself. Arrested.

In that hour, Jesus said to the crowds,
Have you come out to take Me with swords and clubs, as against a plunderer?
I sat with you daily teaching in the temple, and you did not lay hands on Me.
But all this is happening that the Scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.
Then all the disciples ran away, forsaking Him.

(Matthew 26:55-56 LITV)

“Then all the disciples ran away… Forsaking Him…” The stress was too much. Peter swung his sword at the servant of the High Priest, and Jesus rebuked him. What else could they do? Stay and be arrested? Tried? Killed? They did nothing, but they ran, and that’s doing something.

The stations of the cross are marked in Jerusalem to this day. The pain. Agony. Acceptance. Willingness. On the fringes of the day, the disciples watched from afar. When they get too close (Peter), they are recognized and accused. It’s too dangerous. We’re better off doing nothing. That’s hard. There’s no news source, internet storm, media frenzy…Just themselves doing nothing to support Jesus.

Until the cross. Woman Behold your son. Son, behold your mother. Jesus passed the care of one to the other. (John 19:26-27)

Spend some time in the Gospels and you will find Jesus never did nothing. Even when he was simply hanging around others, he was always doing something. Teaching. Loving. Talking. Sharing. Even singing.

This is how we need to perceive our downtime. It’s never about doing nothing. That’s hard. It’s always about accomplishing. That’s satisfying!