When the Busyness Becomes the Enemy: Finding What Truly Matters

Brothers and sisters, have you ever felt it? That low, persistent hum of anxiety that seems to accompany every passing minute? You check all the boxes—work, family, service, keeping up with the schedule—and yet, when you stop, you feel… depleted. Like you’re running on fumes, constantly trying to squeeze just a little bit more out of the day.

It’s the feeling that nothing is quite working, even when we are doing all the right things. We are masters of the hustle, aren't we? We analyze the lines at the grocery store, we multitask while we’re trying to do business, and we become experts at efficiency, sometimes at the expense of our peace or the people we love. It’s exhausting.

I was listening to a message recently, and it hit home. The speaker told a story about being at a gym, and how a simple, seemingly innocent moment—leaning on a treadmill—could slowly, almost imperceptibly, change the pace of life. Little by little, a gentle flirtation turned into a full-blown, panicked sprint. It was a powerful illustration of how things can escalate when we aren't paying attention to the subtle shifts.

And that's what I think we're doing with our lives. We take on one commitment, then another. We try to become a little more efficient, a little more aggressive in our schedules. And before we know it, we wake up feeling overwhelmed, wondering where the time for the things that truly nourish the soul went. We start asking: Is this really all there is? Is life supposed to be this frantic?

The Spirit Knows the Pace

In our journey as Latter-day Saints, we are taught to follow the Savior. And while the Savior certainly lived a full, impactful life, His life was characterized by purpose, not just perpetual motion. He didn't just react to the next crisis; He was guided by the Spirit. And that Spirit, my friends, often whispers a gentle correction when we are too busy for what matters.

We are called to be Internet missionaries, disciples anywhere, all the time. That means that the *work* isn't just confined to a specific time slot or location. It’s woven into the texture of our daily lives. But if we are so busy managing the *stuff* of life—the payments, the appointments, the sheer volume of activity—that we can’t feel the quiet promptings of the Spirit, then we are running on the treadmill of our own making.

This isn't a call to stop serving or to become less diligent. It’s a call to *recalibrate*. It’s a call to ask: What is the subtle 'lever' I am leaning on right now that is slowly increasing the speed of my life—my anxiety, my need for external validation, my attachment to 'busyness' itself?

A Better Way to Live

The message pointed us toward "A Better Way." For us, as disciples, finding that better way means intentionally slowing down enough to listen. It means prioritizing connection over completion. It means making time for the quiet moments of scripture study, whether that’s in a dedicated Book Club, a Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces, or even just taking a moment during your commute to reflect on a passage in the Social Scripture Study feed.

If you feel that tug—that sense of being perpetually rushed—I encourage you to take a pause. Don't try to solve the whole problem in one afternoon. Just pause. Ask the Spirit to show you where you are over-leveraging your life. Are you treating your spiritual growth like just another item on the to-do list?

Remember, the greatest enemy isn't always the world's demands; sometimes, it's the frantic pace we set for ourselves. Let’s commit today to noticing the subtle speed changes in our own lives, and choosing instead the steady, Spirit-guided pace of the Savior.

If this message resonated with the weariness in your spirit, please share it. Be an Internet missionary for someone who needs to hear this today. For those who want to deepen this reflection, I highly recommend reading some of the foundational teachings on discipleship from the Iron Rod authors, available in LivingBook.

If you're ready to talk through some of those hard questions—like, "But how do I balance my career *and* my discipleship?"—I invite you to connect with me or check out Davee. He’s ready to walk you through those tough investigator questions!