Over-committed or Under-organized?

We’ve been talking recently in Bible study about things that get in the way of joy. Our society leans so much toward being over-involved in activities and I can honestly say I’ve felt that pull in my life.

I have a good friend who was telling me that she recently took inventory of all the “lists” her name appears on (her job, her Bible studies, her committees, etc.). She found that it was way too much and has decided to scale back. The more I think about this, the more it sounds terribly appealing to me.

But then I wonder, as my friend, Jody put it, “Am I really over-committed, or am I just under-organized?” Is it really that I am plugging myself into things that God doesn’t want me to be doing, or am I just being lazy and reclusive? Is it selfish of me to remove myself from certain things so that I can be happier serving in just a few areas?

Wife. Mother. Homemaker. Legal assistant. Bible study. Worship chair. Praise team member. Planning team convener. Meal ministry coordinator. Meal ministry team member. Guitar student. Wife of a deacon.

When is it too much? Perhaps I passed that limit long ago.

Its so hard to know just where we should be serving or where God really wants us to be spending our time. So often when I am asked to serve in a certain area I think, “Yeah, I could probably do that.” I focus too much on whether or not I am able to go to a meeting and not enough on what it will cost me if I choose to go. In truth, it costs me time away from Reagan, time away from Hubby, time away from home, and sometimes time away from God. Whatever I sign myself up for, I am also obligating my family to commit to the same. I spend more time during the week preparing for meetings and attending meetings than I spend in my devotions. That doesn’t seem quite right.

There are definite things that really refresh me and make me feel more alive. Those are the places I want to stay plugged in to. And then there are others where I struggle to find any motivation. And those are the ones I feel I am withdrawing from. There are still others that I want to commit to more fully but don’t have the time to do it right now. Those are the ones that are calling me to let go of some clutter.

Hubby and I both have a couple areas in which our service time will expire this summer. We’ve already been talking about being very intentional about considering or volunteering in any other areas for a while. We’ve really in a way sacrificed a lot of family time to serve on certain teams. And while we love our various teams and have enjoyed our service, we are equally as ready for some down time. Some time to reconnect and recognize that God may be calling us to focus on our family and restore those roots.

Maybe its okay to be selfish about that.