A Whirlwind of Activity

Right now I am at a place in life wherein I have an awful lot going on in my life.  For one, in less than a month our son Jonathan is getting married. As you can imagine, we are in the throws of all the wedding stuff (especially since I will be officiating for him and Danielle, his fiancé).  On top of that, Kim and I recently accepted a new pastorate. By the end of the month, we will be leaving Promise International Fellowship (PIF) and heading to Shrewsbury, NJ to pastor First Assembly of God of Shrewsbury.  This will mean some temporary commuting, searching for a new home, getting adjusted to a new congregation, and eventually Kim will need to find a new job. 

In addition, this past week Promise Ministries hosted a big youth conference that kept me at the church for about fifteen hours per day for four days straight. And, this coming week, I need to make a trip to Leon, Nicaragua, to meet with our local staff down there and prepare them for the transitions that are coming up.  Oh yeah, I need to begin to tie up the ministry at PIF and pack up my office.  I think at this point, I don’t even know what else needs to be done! 

We sometimes have those seasons in life that become exceptionally busy.  There are times in life when a whole bunch of events seem to converge and send us into a whirlwind of activity.  And, if we are not careful we (and especially “I”) can be overwhelmed, filled with anxiety, and set off balance.  If we are not careful, we can become so busy that we begin to set some of the most important things in our lives aside—e.g. our relationships with the people around us and even our relationship with God. 

In the midst of the whirlwind of activity, I am trying to remind myself to stay calm and focused and take one step/task at a time.  I need to keep my priorities in order.    And, I need to recognize that God is with me and is in control of all things.  Thus, the words of Psalm 46:10 are especially appropriate for me during this season of my life, “Be still and know that I am God.”  (NIV)  At this point, that is something I need to do each day.

I know, as I take time to recognize God’s presence in all things, he is able to help me stay calm, balanced, and focused on the right things. He is a sovereign God, a faithful God, and a loving God.  No matter how crazy the whirlwind of activity, God is there to provide strength and peace.  He can do that for me, and he can do that for you.

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris