“If anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” Matthew 16:24.

Recently reading through Fenelon “The Seeking Heart” for the “Nth” time this quote struck a chord in me:

“Do not add to the cross in your life by becoming so busy that you have no time to sit quietly before God…overactivity and stubbornness will only increase your anguish.” (pg. 3)

As we go through life – sometimes it seems easier to deal with life by keeping busy enough to not to have to think about life. If we don’t slow down long enough to think it seems less painful. 

Consider the hectic pace of our culture. So many people live in hyper drive sacrificing the inner peace that Jesus offers. This is true even among believers. 

In His explanation of the parable of the sower (the four soils), Jesus says “as for what was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” Matthew 13:22.

Why does Fenelon say “overactivity and stubbornness will only increase your anguish?”  This quote falls in a section of the book about “The way of the cross.”  He is encouraging the reader not to resist the way of the cross in her life. I believe the statement about stubbornness is simply a warning that overactivity is a form of resistance to what God is trying to accomplish in a person’s life through the cross. In an effort to block out the pain of death (I am speaking of the death that must take place that Christ may live in and through us) we can so busy ourselves that we add to the very cross we are trying to flee. 

As we set our day and our schedules – let us be mindful not to become so busy that we are distracted from embracing the cross God has placed in our life to accomplish His will and purpose to conform us to His Son’s image.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.