A king let go an enemy he should put to death. A prophet took great pains to confront him (this reminds me of Nathan confronting King David). While trying to let the king see his own error, the prophet said this: “While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone” (1 Kings 20:40). I read about this verse in Kevin DeYoung’s Crazy Busy.
It was not open rebellion that caused his failure. It was a distraction.
That phrase – “busy here and there” – captures modern life with alarming precision. We do not usually set out to abandon our time with God, neglect our families, or let our spiritual lives wither. Instead, our attention gets eaten away by a thousand trivial demands. We spend hours managing the mundane, scrolling endlessly, or treating entertainment as a primary pursuit rather than a brief rest. All these activities chip away our time, energy, and attention. Before we realise it, the balance is lost, our spiritual sensitivity fades, and we step into quicksand without knowing it.
If you find yourself in that place today, know this first: you are not alone in this battle. Distraction is the quiet epidemic of our age, and many believers experience the exact same drift.
The Tyranny of the Minor Things
In Luke 10:41-42, Jesus gently confronted another distracted disciple: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” Like Martha, we often get overwhelmed doing good things, necessary chores, and fleeting errands, yet we neglect the one thing that truly sustains our soul.
When we major in the minors and minor in the majors, our priorities fall into shambles. But Scripture makes it clear how the story ends when we realise our drift. In Luke 15, the prodigal son did not lose his father’s love when he walked away. The moment he came to his senses and turned his steps toward home, his father saw him from a distance, ran to him, and embraced him.
A Father Waiting with Open Arms
God is not an employer waiting to fire you for failing your schedule. He is a Father waiting with open arms.
God did not walk away from you; we are the ones who drifted away from Him through a crowded calendar. Yet His posture toward you has never changed. He remains faithful, patient, and ready to welcome you the moment you turn around. He does not hold a grudge over the time you lost being busy here and there – He simply desires your presence today.
Breaking Out of the Quicksand
- Conduct an honest audit. Look at your daily hours. Identify what is crowding out the divine. If entertainment or mindless busyness has become your main activity, cut it back intentionally.
- Stop the drift and turn back. Repentance is not a complicated ritual; it is a simple change of direction. Put down the phone, close the extra browser tabs, and return your attention to God right now.
- Reclaim the “one thing”. Guard your first and best moments with the Lord before the demands of the day pull you in a dozen different directions.
Today’s Truth
God never moves away from us when our lives get chaotic; He patiently waits for us to return to His presence.
When busyness steals your focus from what matters most, stop drifting and run back to the Father who is already waiting for you with open arms.
I invite you to say this prayer.
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have been so busy here and there that I let my walk with You slip away. Thank You that You never abandon me, and that Your arms are always open wide. Help me clear the clutter and distractions from my life so I can keep You at the very centre of all I do. I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
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