I ponder of something great
My lungs will fill and then deflate
They fill with fire, exhale desire
I know it’s dire my time today

I have these thoughts, so often I ought
To replace that slot with what I once bought
‘Cause somebody stole my car radio

We are busy. Every hour of every day is scheduled. I personally have filled my calendar so well that I could tell you I’m too busy to sleep, yet alone think.

When I have time to just sit, I don’t. I fill it with writing. I fill it with music. I find someone. Play cards. I’m never alone. I’m never just quiet.

To just sit in silence and think is a waste of precious time. You’re only in college for so long after all. I only have two years to minister, serve, and lead.

Some days the only quiet time I have is when I’m getting ready for bed at 2 AM. I’ll go all day and only think about where I have to be next. I love how busy I am. I get to do everything I love and I feel useful.

But what if I didn’t have an event every Friday? What if my meetings were canceled and my classes were re-scheduled? What if I had to spend an entire day or an entire week in silence?

There would be no busyness to hide behind. I would have to sit still and think about something outside of these busy moments and outside of my plan.

I’d have to think. It would be just me and my thoughts. The why-do-I-do-what-I-do thoughts. The why-am-I-here thoughts. The where-am-I-going thoughts.  

There’s faith and there’s sleep
We need to pick one please because
Faith is to be awake
And to be awake is for us to think
And for us to think is to be alive
And I will try with every rhyme
To come across like I am dying
To let you know you need to try to think

I’d need to think, and those thoughts would turn into prayers. My routine would warm in to a ministry. My studies would remember they’re passions. The silence of the day would wake me up. It’d be raw and awkward but at the end I’d be truly living.

Guys, you need to take a break. You need to slow down and breathe. You need to take the time to think and pray and remember why you’re doing what you’re doing.

If we let service turn into busyness we’re missing the point. Don’t get me wrong, God will still use your acts of service, but they won’t shape your heart the way it will when you’re meditating and working hand-in-hand with God.

Listen to Car Radio here.