In May 2024, about 100 people participated in an annual “space-out” competition in South Korea. The aim of the competition was to see who was best at doing nothing. Contestants sat on yoga mats and made themselves as relaxed as possible for as long as possible, a radical act in the country’s super-competitive culture.
This would be a radical act in modern American culture, as well. For many people, busyness seems to be a symbol of self-worth. When someone asks us how things are going or how we’re doing, it’s almost a reflex to talk about how busy we are. What does it mean that we’re all so busy? What are we trying to accomplish in our busyness?
In “Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander,”Thomas Merton equates the culture of busyness to a modern form of violence. He argues that the frenzied pace of our work can derail our inner peace. Being super-busy all the time can drain the joy out of our souls.
Sometimes people compliment ministers by telling them how busy they think they are. Often, this is the reason they did not reach out even though they wanted to. It’s true that congregational ministry is a demanding job, but occasionally we need to ask whether everything we’re doing is what we should be doing. We can fall into the trap of doing lots of things but not discerning the things we need to do. Getting things done and getting the right things done are not always the same.
As you sit with your leaders, you may want to find time to reflect on the real work God has called you to do. What do you need to do less so you can thrive as you do what matters most?
