From Busy to Intentional: Choosing What Really Matters
I have just gotten back from a conference in Dallas with our staff. The theme of busyness was addressed by several of the keynote speakers, and their words convicted me in ways I wasn’t expecting. Again and again, the message surfaced: activity is not the same as transformation.
One moment in particular stood out: Rich Villodas quoted Eugene Peterson, reminding us that busyness can actually be a form of laziness—a way of avoiding the deeper, slower work God wants to do in us.
Then Derwin Gray offered a striking warning: BUSY = Being Under Satan’s Yoke.
And Brian Mosley challenged us with a piercing question:
“Am I making disciples, or just keeping busy?”
Together, these voices exposed something we often ignore: our culture’s obsession with busyness is not just a scheduling issue. It’s a spiritual formation issue.
The Trap of Busyness
Busyness feels productive. It makes us feel important, useful, even spiritual. But the truth is sobering: a full calendar does not guarantee a full life.
You can run from morning to night and still feel like you’re drifting.
You can serve in a dozen ways and still miss the ways God is actually calling you to grow.
And here’s the deeper challenge:
The hardest choices in life are rarely between bad and good—they are between good and better.
That’s why saying no feels so difficult. Most of what fills our schedules is good. Good opportunities. Good causes. Good things.
But if we say yes to everything good, we inevitably say no to what is best.
And far too often, what’s best is the quiet, slow, unhurried work of spiritual formation—work that busyness crowds out.
Aligning Priorities With God’s Design
The shift from busyness to intentionality begins when we align our lives with what God has uniquely designed and called us to do.
If your calendar doesn’t reflect your God-given values, your soul will eventually feel the strain. There will always be more opportunities, more needs, more requests, and more good things than you can possibly say yes to. That’s why clarity matters.
A simple way to cultivate this clarity is through what I call the Values Filter:
The Values Filter
Identify the values that reflect God’s unique design and calling in your life.
Weigh each opportunity or demand against those values.
Ask:
“Is this aligned with what God has uniquely designed me for and called me to?”
This reframes your decision-making:
Instead of “Is this good?” you learn to ask, “Is this mine to do?”
Instead of “Is this helpful?” you ask, “Does this align with my calling?”
And here is the unexpected gift:
Focusing on the best things gives you the courage to say no to many good things without guilt.
Saying no is no longer rejection. It becomes stewardship.
It becomes obedience.
Why Intentional Time Wins Over Busyness
Busyness says: “I’m doing a lot.”
Intentionality says: “I’m doing what matters.”
Busyness scatters your energy.
Intentionality concentrates it.
Busyness drains you.
Intentionality fills you.
Meaning is not found in endless activity.
Meaning is found in alignment—with your values, your design, and your calling.
When your life is anchored in God’s purpose, you stop reacting to everything urgent and start giving your best attention to what is truly important.
A Simple Step Forward
This week, take ten minutes to prayerfully write down the values that reflect God’s unique calling on your life. Place them where you’ll see them often.
Then, the next time an opportunity comes your way—even a really good one—pause long enough to ask:
“Is this aligned with what God has uniquely designed me for and called me to?”
This simple question may become a turning point—a way for you to break free from the weight of busyness and step into a life that is purposeful, peaceful, and aligned with God’s heart for you.
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Cover image by Jose Martin Ramirez Carrasco via Unsplash