Lists sat scattered across my desk. Overnight Pinterest boards transformed into multi-faceted plans of preparation. Joy pumped through my veins in anticipation of family arriving for Easter celebrations. For the first time in a year all schedules aligned and we had the opportunity to open our doors to my in-laws. Four days out, I've usually entered panic mode. But I'd scheduled adequate time to execute almost every list. So, as I sat there calm, collected and joyful I gave myself a gold star. In this moment I stepped out of sync with the Spirit and into the entanglement of worldly busyness. The weight of expectation suddenly fell heavy on my heart. Burdened by overwhelm my lists sat idle for three days. With the clock ticking and a hurried heart, I clutched my lists and let fear take the lead. Then I did what I always do when the lies of busyness win: I shoved all the mess in the closet and hustled away to host our guests. Meanwhile shame gremlins pulled my presence away. What if they open the door? What if they see my mess? What if they find out about all my junk? I lost sight of my purpose in the midst of my planning. When I feel busy instead of abundant, I've wandered from my Gospel-based values. My purpose isn't to imitate a perfect home. My purpose is to love deeply just as God loves me – messes and all. I made margin for conversation with the Spirit until pride crept in and I started hustling outside of obedience. The external projection of my heart wasn't of Him because my mind was controlled by culture. An all too familiar dark cloud covers culture-led busyness. Worldly expectations chain our hearts in disconnect and despair. Busyness rooted in culture breeds envy, perfectionism and burnout. I know I've turned my back to the light when I'm standing in the shadows. Culture-led busyness leads to an empty imitation of fulfillment, but Spirit-led intentions bring us to a life of peace and abundance.

"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6

Our battle with busyness goes deeper than our calendars and to-do lists. It's not a calendar change we need; it's a heart change. When we become aware of busyness triggers – like shoving a house-worth of clutter into the closet – we make authentic progress towards intentional lives. Margin isn't meaningful until we go into the hustle wholeheartedly. What if I wasn't driven by busyness? What would I do? How would that feel? Disconnect created by busyness isn't something we can avoid. It will creep back in unless we partner with the Spirit to mind the gap of a divided heart. The solution is life on God's terms in step with the Holy Spirit. No more darkness of doubt and worry of self-gain, but life free of fear, full of joy for the glory of the Lord. God's not going to ask what we've accomplished, He's going to ask how we loved His people and shined for the Kingdom. We receive abundant life as we walk by faith. Hurried hearts don't for a second escape the grace of our Father. Press pause on your busyness and ask the Spirit to take inventory. We can't escape busyness, but we can abandon the stigma around it. God is in the business of transforming busyness into abundance.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is God's will - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

When we keep in step with the Spirit we're enabled to sideline stress and welcome peace as an active part of our hustle. The burden of busyness is not a glitch in our makeup. It is a guidepost pointing us back to our Father. The Holy Spirit beckons us to brave obedience. By looking to scripture we can discern practices for seeking abundance in place of busyness. Be still. The battle against busyness is not ours, it's God's. To "be still" means to surrender or to let go. God grows us in our capacity for abundance as we loosen our grip on cultural busyness. Stillness is actually a call to action. An active stance of surrender is the first step to wholehearted abundance. Be present. The stigma surrounding cultural busyness is one of absent-minded work. So how do we put heart back into our hustle? Behold God's grace as He breaks the chains of busyness in our life. When we yield to the Spirit busyness becomes a conviction of compassion for the Kingdom. With surrendered hearts, we're equipped to readily recognize and respond to opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Be intentional. Though we encounter the limitations of busyness we have opportunity for a full life in step with the Spirit. Filter the influx of expectations in the daily routine through the blueprint of Gospel-based values. We put frenzied grabs for happiness aside when our intentions and values align. Gospel-based values create resilience in seeking abundant, purposeful lives. Let love lead as you embrace abundance in place of busyness. This is our chance to let God change us from the inside out and experience His deep abiding presence. Let's make our lists and celebrate progress, but let's not be too busy crossing off tasks to delight in the joy at our fingertips. Set your mind on the Spirit and your heart on heaven as you embrace abundance in a culture of busyness. By Erin Bridges Originally published in Be Still Magazine, Issue 1.